At least 17 have been killed as flash floods and mudslides have hit Sumatra
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By Marcus Donaldson,
Published: 26/11/2025
Six people remain unaccounted for on the usually idyllic South East Asian island
Britons have been issued an urgent travel warning to a popular tourist hotspot after at least 17 people have been killed in terrifying flash floods and landslides.
The devastating natural disasters struck Indonesia's Sumatra island on Tuesday after torrential monsoon downpours.
Emergency response teams are battling to access remote areas where the deluge has obliterated infrastructure and left thousands of properties underwater.
Six people remain unaccounted for as the authorities on the usually idyllic South East Asian island continue to grapple with the situation.
Recovery efforts remain overwhelmed as inhabitants in vulnerable locations have been instructed to abandon their properties without delay.
Temporary accommodation is currently being hastily constructed to house those who have been displaced by the disasters.
This week’s catastrophic weather event has wreaked havoc across six regencies within North Sumatra province, where swollen rivers breached their banks and swept through communities.
The worst devastation struck Sibolga city, where authorities have confirmed five fatalities and three injuries, with search teams still hunting for four residents who vanished in the chaos.
Desperate rescue efforts are underway in the remote areas of the island
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In neighbouring Central Tapanuli district, an entire family of four perished when mudslides demolished multiple dwellings, whilst nearly 2,000 structures disappeared beneath the floodwaters.
South Tapanuli district reported one death after a resident was struck by an uprooted tree, with another person injured.
Infrastructure has suffered extensively, including a bridge collapse in Mandailing Natal district, where 470 buildings were engulfed, whilst Nias island's main thoroughfare became impassable due to mud and wreckage.
The city experienced six separate mudslides that demolished seventeen residential buildings and a café, prompting urgent evacuation orders.
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Those in affected regions have been ordered to evacuate their homes
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Eyewitness accounts detailed torrents of water surging over rooftops as terrified locals fled to higher ground, with roadways transformed into violent rivers carrying massive logs and wreckage through urban areas.
Indonesia's vulnerability to such catastrophes stems from its October-to-March monsoon season, which regularly triggers inundations and earth movements across the archipelago.
The nation's 17,000 islands feature extensive mountainous terrain and densely populated flood-prone valleys where millions reside.
Tuesday's calamity coincided with authorities concluding a ten-day search operation on Java island, where separate rain-induced mudslides had killed 38 people.
Travel warnings are already in place around several volcanoes on Sumatra and Java
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GETTY
Over 1,000 emergency workers had been deployed across Central Java's Cilacap and Banjarnegara districts, though thirteen individuals remained missing when efforts ceased due to hazardous ground conditions and severe weather threatening rescue teams' safety.
The latest disaster comes as Britons had previously been warned to avoid areas of Sumatra due to the threat of volcanic activity.
The Foreign Office advises travellers to avoid the regions surrounding Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, which erupted in December 2023. A similar warning exists for Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, which erupted in 2021.
Last week, nearly 1,000 people were evacuated from three villages on Java after the eruption of Mount Semeru.
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Emergency response teams are battling to access remote areas where the deluge has obliterated infrastructure and left thousands of properties underwater.
Six people remain unaccounted for as the authorities on the usually idyllic South East Asian island continue to grapple with the situation.
Recovery efforts remain overwhelmed as inhabitants in vulnerable locations have been instructed to abandon their properties without delay.
Temporary accommodation is currently being hastily constructed to house those who have been displaced by the disasters.
This week’s catastrophic weather event has wreaked havoc across six regencies within North Sumatra province, where swollen rivers breached their banks and swept through communities.
The worst devastation struck Sibolga city, where authorities have confirmed five fatalities and three injuries, with search teams still hunting for four residents who vanished in the chaos.
Desperate rescue efforts are underway in the remote areas of the island
GETTY
In neighbouring Central Tapanuli district, an entire family of four perished when mudslides demolished multiple dwellings, whilst nearly 2,000 structures disappeared beneath the floodwaters.
South Tapanuli district reported one death after a resident was struck by an uprooted tree, with another person injured.
Infrastructure has suffered extensively, including a bridge collapse in Mandailing Natal district, where 470 buildings were engulfed, whilst Nias island's main thoroughfare became impassable due to mud and wreckage.
The city experienced six separate mudslides that demolished seventeen residential buildings and a café, prompting urgent evacuation orders.
Those in affected regions have been ordered to evacuate their homes
GETTY
Eyewitness accounts detailed torrents of water surging over rooftops as terrified locals fled to higher ground, with roadways transformed into violent rivers carrying massive logs and wreckage through urban areas.
Indonesia's vulnerability to such catastrophes stems from its October-to-March monsoon season, which regularly triggers inundations and earth movements across the archipelago.
The nation's 17,000 islands feature extensive mountainous terrain and densely populated flood-prone valleys where millions reside.
Tuesday's calamity coincided with authorities concluding a ten-day search operation on Java island, where separate rain-induced mudslides had killed 38 people.
Travel warnings are already in place around several volcanoes on Sumatra and Java
GETTY
Over 1,000 emergency workers had been deployed across Central Java's Cilacap and Banjarnegara districts, though thirteen individuals remained missing when efforts ceased due to hazardous ground conditions and severe weather threatening rescue teams' safety.
The latest disaster comes as Britons had previously been warned to avoid areas of Sumatra due to the threat of volcanic activity.
The Foreign Office advises travellers to avoid the regions surrounding Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, which erupted in December 2023. A similar warning exists for Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, which erupted in 2021.
Last week, nearly 1,000 people were evacuated from three villages on Java after the eruption of Mount Semeru.
Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter
