We just got the news that at least 708 people have died in floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island, the disaster agency reported Tuesday, as authorities race to repair infrastructure and deliver aid to isolated areas.
The agency said the toll was slightly lower than an earlier figure of 753 published on its website. Nearly 900 deaths have been reported in recent weeks across Indonesia due to severe floods and landslides, following months of extreme weather across Southeast Asia, including successive typhoons in the Philippines and Vietnam.
Experts and officials have cited deforestation on Sumatra as a factor that has worsened the impact of the disasters. Rescue and relief teams are working by land, sea, and air to clear blocked roads, deliver aid, and restore damaged infrastructure. "We hope to speed up the logistics distribution," agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said.