Severe weather in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province has led to deadly landslides and flash floods, leaving at least 27 people dead and many others missing. Torrential rains began last week, causing widespread destruction in four districts. Authorities warn that extreme weather conditions may persist until the end of the year due to the La Niña phenomenon, which has intensified rainfall across the region.
Hadi Wahyudi, a North Sumatra police spokesperson, confirmed that a landslide in Deli Serdang on Wednesday killed seven people and injured 20 others. Rescuers discovered 20 more fatalities in separate locations during ongoing search operations that began over the weekend. Efforts are focused on locating missing individuals, including those trapped in vehicles buried by a mudslide on a hilly interprovincial road. Heavy machinery, including excavators, has been deployed to clear blocked roads and aid rescue operations.
Flooding has also impacted the provincial capital, Medan, disrupting regional elections as polling stations experienced delays.
Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, is highly vulnerable to seasonal rains between October and March, which often result in landslides and flooding in mountainous and low-lying areas.
