Sumatra floods and landslides death toll rises to 303, with 279 missing. Cyclonic rains impact Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand. Relief efforts underway.
By Reuters November 30, 2025, 11:47:22 AM IST (Published)
The death toll from floods and landslides after cyclonic rains on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has risen to 303, the head of the country’s disaster mitigation agency said on Saturday, November 29, up from a previous figure of 174.
Large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have been hit by cyclone-fuelled torrential rain for a week, with a rare tropical storm forming in the Malacca Strait.
At least 279 people remain missing as about 80,000 have been evacuated and hundreds are still stranded across three provinces on Sumatra, Indonesia’s westernmost island, agency head Suharyanto told journalists.
Responders have used helicopters to deliver aid and for logistics in the northern part of the island, the hardest hit area where roads were cut and communications infrastructure destroyed by landslides.
“We are trying to open the route from North Tapanuli to Sibolga (in North Sumatra province), which is the most severely cut off for a third day,” he said.
Rescue teams were working to clear a road blocked by a landslide; people are trapped along the roadway and in need of supplies. The military presence will be increased on Sunday to assist relief operations, he added.
There were reports of attempts to ransack supplies in the badly affected Central Tapanuli area, Suharyanto said.
Across the Malacca Strait in Thailand, the death toll from floods in the country’s south rose to 162, up from 145, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said on Saturday.
