The death toll from the devastating floods and landslides that struck the island of Sumatra, Indonesia , has risen to 950, with 5,000 injured , the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced on Monday.

💔 Consequences and Human Cost

The disaster, which ravaged three provinces of Sumatra, not only destroyed numerous homes, communication routes and public infrastructure, but also left 274 people still missing .

This tragedy is part of a broader regional context: in total, more than 1,800 people have died in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, following a series of tropical storms and monsoon rains that caused flash floods and landslides.

💰 Cost of Reconstruction

According to Suharyanto, the head of the BNPB, the estimated cost of reconstruction in the three provinces of Sumatra could reach 51.82 trillion rupees (or 3.1 billion dollars) .

🆘 The Critical Situation in Aceh

The province of Aceh , located at the western tip of Sumatra and already severely affected by the 2004 tsunami, is the hardest-hit area. There have been 386 deaths and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced.

The governor of Aceh, Muzakir Manaf, issued an urgent appeal for help on Sunday evening:

"The province lacks everything, especially medical personnel. We lack doctors. Medicines are important. Basic necessities are also important."

🌍 Climate and Deforestation at the Cause

Asia is currently in the midst of its monsoon season, vital for rice cultivation but also causing regular flooding. However, several aggravating factors are being identified:

1. Climate change: Experts believe that global warming intensifies rainfall episodes, as a warmer atmosphere retains more moisture.
2. Deforestation: In Indonesia, environmentalists, experts and the government itself are highlighting the responsibility of deforestation in the increase in flash floods and landslides in Sumatra.