After attending early morning prayers at a local mosque, one worshipper noticed an alarming sight: the streets were inundated with water.
Authorities in Sumatra have reported that devastating floods and landslides this week have claimed the lives of at least 111 individuals, with nearly 100 more still unaccounted for.
The tragic events, triggered by Tropical Cyclone Senyar, have left at least 94 people dead in Indonesia, according to official sources.
North Sumatra police spokesperson, Ferry Walintukan, stated that the primary focus remains on evacuating affected residents and providing necessary aid.
While weather forecasts predict additional rainfall across much of Sumatra, officials are hopeful that the intensity of the precipitation will diminish in the coming days.
“The morgue has exceeded its capacity, so we need more,” Charn, a morgue official who only gave his first name, told AFP.
Heavy rains have caused widespread flooding across southern Thailand. Source: EPA / Royal Thai Army
There has been growing public criticism of the flooding response and two local officials have now been suspended over their alleged failures.
Shop owner Chayaphol Promkleng thought at first that his business would be spared because flooding was “only ankle-deep”.
In Malaysia, two people have been killed in flooding caused by heavy rain that left stretches of northern Perlis state under water.
‘Extreme weather’
Climate change has impacted storm patterns, including the duration and intensity of the season, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding and stronger wind gusts.
