Flood-affected areas in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia (Photo: AP)
The death toll has risen to 908, with 410 people still missing. More than 800,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, mostly in Aceh province on Sumatra island.
Since December 4, the Indonesian government has stepped up emergency response measures to the severe flash flood and landslide disaster on Sumatra Island, including allocating more budget, mobilizing the air force to drop relief supplies and establishing a special task force to investigate signs of violations of forest exploitation and protection laws.
Many roads and bridges were washed away, making it difficult for rescuers to reach remote villages on Sumatra. People were evacuated and sheltered at relief camps, where they began receiving instant noodles and other food supplies, but supplies remain limited. The Indonesian government is bringing in heavy machinery to clear roads and restore traffic to isolated areas.
Heavy rains are currently occurring in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, Indonesia. The Indonesian Meteorological Agency has warned that Aceh province may continue to experience very heavy rains until December 6. Meanwhile, the provinces of North Sumatra and West Sumatra are also in the high-risk zone.
In many places, the waters have not yet receded, and some areas are completely cut off. Islamic Relief Indonesia described the situation as "very serious and heartbreaking". Access to relief has been extremely difficult due to flooding, power outages and patchy communications.
Revoking environmental licenses of many companies
Earlier, on December 4, the government stepped up emergency response measures to the severe flooding and landslide disaster in the Sumatra region. The measures include allocating more budget, mobilizing the air force to drop relief supplies and establishing a special task force to investigate signs of violations of forestry law.
On December 3, the Indonesian government announced that it would revoke the environmental licenses of several companies suspected of having a role in worsening the disaster and open an investigation. Indonesian Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq affirmed that if it is discovered that deforestation, forest fires or illegal logging contributed to the disaster, the companies could face criminal prosecution.
An Binh
Source: https://baochinhphu.vn/lu-lut-tai-indonesia-hon-900-nguoi-thiet-mang-410-nguoi-mat-tich-102251206183003599.htm
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