Floods leave nearly 1,200 dead, missing in Indonesia

ISTANBUL

Severe floods and landslides in Indonesia left nearly 1,200 people dead and missing as of Monday, data from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency showed.

Unprecedented floods, landslides, storms, and cyclones have caused widespread devastation across Asia. Indonesia has been hit hardest, followed by Sri Lanka.

Indonesia’s disaster agency said floods and landslides in Sumatra island alone killed 961 people, with 234 still missing and around 5,000 injured, and rescue operations are underway.

More than 3.2 million people have been affected by devastating floods and landslides, while over 1 million displaced residents were moved to safe areas in the flood-hit provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stressed the government's commitment to mobilize all available resources and funding to support affected communities, according to state-run Antara News.

Earlier, Prabowo said the country plans to buy up to 200 helicopters in 2026, for both defense and natural disaster preparedness.

In Sri Lanka, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 627, with 190 people still missing since the storm struck on Nov. 17, according to the Disaster Management Center.

The UN said last week that at least 185 people have died in southern Thailand, while 367 others remain missing. Four deaths were also reported in India and three in Malaysia amid severe weather conditions.