Cyclone Senyar Devastates Sumatra: Landslides Swallow Villages
Indonesia floods kill over 300 while several are still missing. (Image BNPB)
Tropical Cyclone Senyar unleashes catastrophic flooding across North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, forcing over 80,000 evacuations as Indonesia’s military intensifies rescue operations amid power and internet blackouts.
TRH World Desk
New Delhi, November 30, 2025 — Torrential rains unleashed by Tropical Cyclone Senyar have turned large swathes of northern Sumatra into disaster zones, killing at least 303 people and forcing more than 80,000 residents to flee their homes, according to Indonesia’s disaster management agency BNPB.
The worst devastation has been reported in North Sumatra, where repeated extreme weather battered the regencies of Sibolga, North Tapanuli, Central Tapanuli and South Tapanuli. Entire neighbourhoods were submerged after more than two days of relentless rain triggered flash floods and landslides.
Visual footage from Sibolga showed raging floodwaters sweeping through residential areas, dragging vehicles, smashing homes, and carrying massive debris including mud, tree trunks, building fragments and household waste. Several villages—Angin Nauli in North Sibolga, Aek Muara Pinang and Aek Habil in South Sibolga, and Pasar Belakang and Pasar Baru in Sibolga City—were among the worst hit.
Power and internet services remain completely cut off across multiple districts, isolating thousands of survivors and severely complicating rescue efforts. Military helicopters and disaster response teams have been deployed to search for hundreds of people still feared missing.
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered emergency aid deliveries, rapid medical deployment, and full-scale relief operations, as the country grapples with one of its deadliest climate disasters in recent years.
Adding to the crisis, massive piles of logs—described by locals as a “wooden sea”—have been seen clogging rivers and flood channels. Authorities are investigating whether the timber originated from illegal logging sites, raising serious questions about environmental degradation worsening the disaster’s impact.
According to disaster officials, the cyclone-driven rains caused rivers to overflow at terrifying speeds, turning roads into torrents, washing away bridges, and stranding entire communities on rooftops and hillsides. Survivors have reported acute shortages of clean water, food supplies, and medical assistance.
The catastrophe has once again laid bare Sumatra’s extreme vulnerability to climate-driven disasters, particularly during the monsoon season. Environmental groups warn that deforestation, river encroachment and unchecked mining have dramatically increased the intensity and speed of floodwaters across the island.
As rescue crews continue to dig through mud and wreckage in search of survivors, authorities fear the death toll could rise further in coming days.
Follow The Raisina Hills on WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
About The Author
