Indonesia: Death Toll Rises to 600 Amid Devastating Floods and Landslides in Sumatra

**Islamabad:** The death toll from severe rainfall, destructive floods, and landslides in Indonesia’s Sumatra island has risen to 600, with fears of further casualties as 174 people remain missing.

According to international news agencies, dozens of villages have been wiped out by landslides, and rescue teams continue to recover bodies trapped under debris. During ongoing relief operations, more than a dozen bodies were recovered today alone, bringing the estimated death toll to around 600.

Over 3,500 police personnel, along with rescue and fire brigade teams, are actively involved in relief efforts. Many areas in North Sumatra have been cut off due to destroyed roads, and communication networks have been severely disrupted. Air support is being used to deliver emergency supplies, but the lack of heavy machinery has hampered rescue operations.

Rivers overflowed due to torrential rains, breaking their banks and flooding residential areas with debris, engulfing several mountain villages. In Agam district, approximately 80 people remain trapped under rubble in three villages, and rescuers are struggling to reach survivors due to the absence of heavy machinery.

Aceh province has been the hardest hit, where police, military personnel, and local residents are clearing debris manually using shovels and basic tools. Governor Muzakir Manaf has declared a state of emergency until December 11.

The destructive storm that affected Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia has now subsided, but landslides continue in the aftermath of heavy rains. While Indonesia suffered the most severe damage, fatalities have also been reported in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia, with over a thousand confirmed deaths across the affected countries.