Record floods and landslides in Indonesia have caused massive damage and more than 200 deaths. Experts warn of the impact of climate change on extreme weather.
Floods and landslides in Indonesia have claimed more than 200 lives, according to local authorities. The AFP and AP agencies reported on this on Saturday.
“As of this evening, 61 deaths have been confirmed and we are still searching for another 90 people,” West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Ilham Wahab said on Friday evening, updating an earlier figure of 23 deaths in the province.
Another 116 people were killed in North Sumatra, while disasters claimed at least 35 lives in Aceh province, the agency said. After the monsoon rains, the rivers have flooded in the last week and several villages have been destroyed.
Authorities urged residents in risk zones to evacuate and warned that continued rains could trigger more landslides and cause damage. The monsoon season usually lasts from June to September and brings heavy rains to Indonesia. However, climate change has affected the nature of the monsoon season, including its length and the intensity of rainfall, which has become stronger and more extensive in recent years.
