Death toll in Indonesia floods passes 200: disaster agency

• The death toll from floods and landslides across Indonesia has surpassed 200, with more than 100 people still reported missing.
• The province of West Sumatra saw 61 fatalities, contributing to a rising national toll amid heavy monsoon rains.

The death toll from widespread floods and landslides across Indonesia has risen to more than 200, with over a hundred people still listed as missing, the national disaster management agency announced late Friday.

The scale of the disaster is becoming clearer as authorities consolidate figures from multiple affected regions.

Fatalities Rise in Key Provinces

Ilham Wahab, spokesman for the disaster management agency in West Sumatra province, confirmed late Friday that 61 people had died in that region, with 90 others still missing. An earlier casualty report had listed 23 deaths in the province.

The death toll also includes 116 fatalities in North Sumatra and at least 35 in Aceh province.

Indonesia, like Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, has been hit by heavy rainfall that has caused significant damage and casualties in recent days.

Monsoon Rains Cause Widespread Havoc

Indonesia's annual monsoon rain season, which typically runs from June to September, causes heavy precipitation that often results in devastating landslides, floods, and waterborne diseases.

Earlier this month, 38 people were killed in landslides caused by heavy rain on the central island of Java, where approximately 13 people remain missing.