Indonesia Floods and Landslides Death Toll Exceeds 700

JAKARTA, Dec 2 (Reuters) – The number of people killed by floods and landslides on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, rose to 708 on Tuesday, the disaster agency reported, as authorities rushed to repair infrastructure and provide aid to isolated areas. At a press conference late on Tuesday, the agency said 708 people had died since last week, a lower number than the 753 reported on its website earlier in the day. The agency did not provide the reason for the discrepancy. Around 900 people have died in floods and landslides that wreaked havoc in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, after months of adverse and deadly weather in Southeast Asia, including successive typhoons hitting the Philippines and Vietnam and leading to frequent and prolonged flooding elsewhere. Environmental experts and local authorities said deforestation in Sumatra has led to a disproportionate number of deaths. Indonesia’s disaster agency said teams were prioritizing aid distribution by land, sea, and air, cleaning blocked roads, and repairing damaged infrastructure. ‘We hope we can speed up the logistical distribution,’ spokesman Abdul Muhari said. (Reporting by Ananda Teresia)