The death toll from floods and landslides that struck North and West Sumatra province and Aceh in Indonesia has risen to 1,003, with 218 people still missing, according to the latest statement from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The disaster, which began two weeks ago due to tropical storms and heavy monsoon rains, has also injured more than 5,400 people and displaced 1.2 million, who are currently living in temporary shelters. It is one of the worst natural disasters to hit the country since the 2004 tsunami in Aceh.
Causes of the disaster: Climate change and deforestation
The rapid spread of the floods is attributed to a powerful atmospheric river associated with a rare tropical cyclone in the Strait of Malacca. This resulted in torrential rainfall of up to 500 mm in some areas, with landslides destroying entire villages and inundating farms and roads. Environmental experts have confirmed that climate change is intensifying these storms, as a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture, and warming the atmosphere intensifies the storms, making floods more frequent and severe. Government officials and environmental organizations have also pointed to the role of illegal deforestation—linked to palm oil plantations and mining—in exacerbating landslides in Sumatra, where the island has lost millions of hectares of forest in recent decades.
Relief Efforts: Presidential Visit and Logistical Challenges
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the disaster-stricken areas on Saturday, inspecting evacuation sites in Langkat, North Sumatra, and ordering the acceleration of relief efforts and the reconstruction of damaged bridges and dams. The government announced a need for more than $3 billion for reconstruction, sending thousands of tons of rice and oil, and deploying the army and National Guard to distribute aid. However, teams are facing difficulties reaching isolated areas due to blocked roads and collapsed bridges, with shortages of clean water and medicine in some shelters.
Regional Context: Monsoon Season Hits Asia
The disaster comes during the monsoon season, which is crucial for rice cultivation in Southeast Asia but causes annual floods and landslides. This year, it has been exacerbated by climate change, resulting in a regional disaster that has affected Thailand (more than 200 deaths), Malaysia, and Sri Lanka (more than 400 deaths). In Indonesia, the government announced the cancellation of licenses for 20 logging companies operating in the affected areas and plans to purchase 200 disaster helicopters by 2026.
This disaster is reminiscent of the 2004 tsunami that killed 230,000 people in Aceh and reinforces experts' calls to strengthen forests and protect rivers, amid warnings of more severe flooding in the future due to global warming.
