PREVIEW

Indonesia Floods and Landslides Claim 27 Lives as Rescue Efforts Intensify. Flash floods and landslides in North Sumatra have left at least 27 dead, with rescue efforts underway to locate missing persons and clear affected roads, Sky News reports. Heavy rainfall since last week has wreaked havoc in four districts across North Sumatra, with extreme weather expected to continue until the year's end. A landslide on Wednesday in Deli Serdang claimed seven lives and injured 20, while ongoing rescue operations uncovered 20 additional fatalities in other locations. Police spokesperson Hadi Wahyudi confirmed that missing individuals, including those in a minibus, remain trapped in vehicles hit by a landslide on a hilly interprovince road. Authorities are focusing efforts on locating survivors and removing debris, deploying excavators to aid the clearing of blocked roads. Floodwaters in Medan, the provincial capital, forced delays at polling stations during a regional election, adding logistical challenges to the natural disaster's toll. Indonesia’s weather agency warns of more intense rainfall through late 2024 due to the La Nina phenomenon, exacerbating risks in already vulnerable areas. With over 17,000 islands and communities near mountainous and flood-prone areas, Indonesia regularly faces flooding and landslides during its October-to-March rainy season. In March, Sumatra experienced another deadly episode of torrential rains, resulting in landslides that killed at least 19 people. As rescue efforts continue, authorities brace for further challenges posed by unrelenting rain and the risk of additional landslides across the region.
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