Indonesians Point Fingers at Deforestation for Devastating Floods

Indonesian Reliwati Siregar expressed frustration at deforestation near her home in Sumatra, linking it to the deadly landslides and floods caused by a recent tropical storm that claimed over 700 lives. ‘Mischievous hands cut down trees…they don’t care about the forests, and now we’re paying the price,’ she said. Landslides buried homes and impeded rescue efforts, while floodwaters carried logs ashore. Deforestation in Sumatra worsened the toll of the disaster, experts and leaders noted. Despite protests, licences for forest use were issued, pointing to palm plantations as a major cause of deforestation.