Indonesia searches for hundreds missing in deadly floods

Rescuers in Indonesia are searching for at least 400 people who have been reported missing, many of whom are believed to be buried under landslides, after cyclonic rains caused disastrous flooding almost a week ago.

The death toll on the island of Sumatra has risen to more than 440, the government says.

Aid has been sent to affected areas by air and sea, but some villages have yet to receive anything and there are reports of people stealing food and water to survive.

Some foreign aid has arrived and Malaysia has sent medical supplies to Aceh, one of the hardest-hit provinces.

Millions of people have been affected by heavy rains across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

An exceptionally rare tropical storm, called Cyclone Senyar, caused catastrophic landslides and flooding in Indonesia, with homes swept away and thousands of buildings submerged.

People are missing in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, the National Disaster Management Agency said.

“There are two cities that require full attention due to their isolation, namely Central Tapanuli and Sibolga,” said the agency’s director, Suharyanto, quoted by the AFP news agency. The ships are expected to arrive in Sibolga on Monday, he added.

In the village of Sungai Nyalo, about 100 kilometers from Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, flood waters had mostly receded by Sunday, leaving houses, vehicles and crops covered in thick gray mud, AFP reports.

Authorities had not yet begun clearing roads, residents said, and no outside help had arrived.

“Most villagers preferred to stay; they didn’t want to leave their homes behind,” Idris, 55, told the news agency.

Police spokesman Ferry Walintukan said there were reports of people breaking into shops in Sumatra and that police had been sent to restore order, the Associated Press news agency reported.

“The looting occurred before logistical aid arrived,” Walintukan added. “[Residents] “We didn’t know help was coming and we were afraid we would die of hunger.”

In another development, tech billionaire Elon Musk said he would provide free Starlink services to support communications during the emergency.

There has been widespread devastation throughout the region.

At least 170 people died in floods in Thailand and several deaths were reported in Malaysia.

In the Philippines, tens of thousands of people have protested against government corruption, following a series of floods that killed more than 200 people this month.

And in Sri Lanka, at least 193 people died from floods and landslides as the country faced one of the worst climate disasters in years.