Particle.news
Download on the App Store

At Least 17 Dead as Flash Floods and Landslides Batter North Sumatra

Evacuations continue across hard‑hit districts, with access hampered by days of monsoon downpours.

Overview

  • Officials report six people missing as rescuers struggle to reach isolated communities across six regencies in North Sumatra.
  • Sibolga recorded some of the heaviest losses, with at least five bodies recovered, three residents injured, and searches ongoing for four missing people.
  • In Central Tapanuli, landslides destroyed homes and killed a family of four, while nearly 2,000 houses and buildings were inundated.
  • BNPB said South Tapanuli saw seven additional fatalities, 58 injuries, and 2,851 people evacuated, with bridges destroyed and dozens of houses damaged.
  • Emergency shelters have opened and residents in high‑risk zones were urged to leave, as meteorologists point to seasonal monsoon conditions and developing cyclone seeds; separate operations in Central Java recently ended after 38 deaths.