Indonesia Flood Death Toll Surpasses 500

December 2, 2025

Rescue teams struggle to reach cut-off communities after rare cyclone triggers catastrophic flooding across three provinces, displacing 1.4 million people.

flash floods in Lubuk Min come down, Padang, West Sumatra

Photo via BETWEEN PHOTOS/Iggoy el Fitra/bar

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Key Takeaways:

Survivors report tsunami-like waves, critical supply shortages
Flood death toll exceeds 500 with hundreds still missing
1.4 million people affected across Aceh, North and West Sumatra

The death toll from catastrophic flooding in Indonesia has risen above 500, with rescue teams still struggling to reach isolated communities five days after a rare cyclone formed over the Malacca Strait.

The disaster has affected approximately 1.4 million people across three provinces, with another 500 individuals reported missing and thousands injured.

The provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra suffered the most severe damage, with floodwaters described by survivors as “like a tsunami.” Arini Amalia, a resident of Pidie Jaya Regency in Aceh, reported her grandmother calling these the worst floods in her lifetime.

Bridge collapses and mud-covered roads have severely hindered access, forcing aid workers to attempt deliveries on foot and by motorcycle.

In West Sumatra, Mariana waited anxiously as excavators cleared mud and debris at the Twin Bridges landmark, hoping crews would find her missing 15-year-old son and other family members. “Looking at how it is here, maybe their faces won’t even be recognizable anymore,” she told reporters.

Critical shortages have left many survivors without food for days. Maysanti, from Central Tapanuli in North Sumatra, described desperate conditions:

“Everything is gone; our food supplies are running out. We can’t eat. Even instant noodles are being fought over now.” Communication blackouts forced thousands in Central Aceh to queue for Starlink devices to contact relatives or charge phones.

President Prabowo Subianto visited affected areas Monday, acknowledging ongoing access challenges while pledging full government response. Criticism has mounted regarding disaster preparedness and bureaucratic delays in aid distribution.