BNPB Records 166 Victims Died Due To Flash Floods In North Sumatra

Reports of victims dying in North Sumatra due to flash floods (Doc. BNPB)

NORTH Sumatra - BNPB revealed the latest reports related to flash floods and landslides in North Sumatra. The death toll has now reached a total of 166 people as of Saturday, November 29.

Meanwhile, as many as 143 other people were declared missing and are still in the search stage when this news was written.

Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto in a statement received in Jakarta, Sunday, said that the increase in the number of victims occurred in line with the intensive search and rescue operation (SAR) by a joint team led by Basarnas since the determination of the emergency response status this week.

"In one day, 60 more people have died thanks to the search operation for the joint team," he said, quoted from ANTARA, Sunday, November 30.

BNPB confirmed the biggest impact was recorded in Central Tapanuli, South Tapanuli, and Sibolga Regencies.

In addition to casualties, refugees were also reported to have reached thousands of families, spread across South Tapanuli, Sibolga, Mandailing Natal, North Tapanuli, and Humbang Hasundutan.

"The data collection process is still ongoing along with SAR operations which continue to run 24 hours," he said.

Suharyanto also conveyed that the fulfillment of basic needs for refugees, the opening of access to isolated areas, and the acceleration of logistics distribution continued to be intensified.

BNPB has placed five helicopters assisted at Silangit Airport to maximize aid distribution to Central Tapanuli, Mandailing Natal, and other regions that are difficult to penetrate.

The TNI AD Bell 412EPI helicopter, MI-17V5, private helicopters and Cessna Caravan aircraft were also operated.