MEDAN (INDONESIA), Nov 30: Sri Lankan officials said deaths from floods and mudslides in that island nation have risen to 200. The floods, which hit Indonesia nearly a week ago, have killed 440 people, with the number expected to rise as more bodies are recovered and displaced around 3 Lakh people.
The deluges triggered landslides, damaged roads, cut off parts of the island, and downed communication lines. Another more than 400 people are missing in Indonesia’s three provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
The challenging weather conditions and the lack of heavy equipment also hampered rescue efforts. Aid has been slow to reach the hardest-hit city of Sibolga and the Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra.
Videos on social media showed people scrambling past crumbling barricades, flooded roads and broken glass to get their hands on food, medicine and gas & even some waded through waist-deep floodwaters to reach damaged convenience stores.
Eleven helicopters were deployed from Jakarta to the affected areas the day after the disaster for ongoing logistics distribution operations, especially to areas where land access was cut off, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said on Sunday but unpredictable weather often hampers aid operations.
The Cabinet Secretariat released footage of the military airdropping supplies to the affected areas. In the village of North Tapanuli, survivors waved frantically to the helicopters carrying aid.
Meanwhile, four Navy Ships docked at a port to support aid distribution. Meanwhile, authorities in Sri Lanka said the death toll from floods and mudslides has risen to around 200 with hundreds others still missing.
More reports awaited.
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