PANORA

Home About Us Contact Us Blog News

Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra

Published: 13 May 2024 at 06:35

Science

Severe weather conditions triggered by heavy rain battered Indonesia, causing a terrifying cold lava flow to sweep down Mount Marapi in West Sumatra. The floods submerged over 200 buildings, including homes and mosques, leaving 41 dead and 17 missing. Relief efforts are hindered by bad weather, damaged roads, and blocked access points. Survivors recall the nightmare of the flooding and rockfall.

DEEP DIVE


Flash floods and landslides kill at least 26 people in Indonesia


Flash floods and landslides in West Sumatra province, Indonesia, have resulted in the death of at least 26 people with 11 others missing. Rescuers are facing challenges due to power outages, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing heavy rains. More than 37,000 houses and buildings have been submerged, with significant damage to bridges, mosques, schools, and agricultural land. Indonesia, with its archipelago of over 17,000 islands, frequently experiences landslides and floods during heavy monsoon seasons.

1979 eruption of Mount Marapi (Wikipedia)


On 30 April 1979, Mount Marapi, a complex volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the most active complex volcano in West Sumatra province, erupted, killing between 80 and 100 people. Due to its proximity to populated areas, the volcano is recognised as a significant hazard.

Flash floods and landslide in Indonesia's Sumatra island leave 19 dead and 7 missing


Days of torrential rainfall in Indonesia's Sumatra island led to flash floods and a landslide, killing 19 people with 7 others missing. Mud, rocks, and uprooted trees swept through villages in West Sumatran province. Rescue efforts were hindered by power outages and blocked roads. Over 80,000 people sought refuge in temporary shelters. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency reported injuries to at least 2 villagers. Flash floods and landslides are common in Indonesia, affecting millions living near floodplains, particularly during the rainy season.

2023 eruption of Mount Marapi (Wikipedia)


On 3 December 2023, Mount Marapi, a complex volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, erupted, sending ash as high as 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) into the air, and depositing large amounts of volcanic ash in nearby districts. Twenty-four hikers were found dead near the crater of the volcano.

Flood and Landslide Hit Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, Killing 14 People


14 people were killed in Indonesia's Sulawesi island due to a flood and landslide triggered by torrential rain in the Luwu district. The floods, reaching up to 3 meters high, affected 13 sub-districts, damaging over 1,000 houses with 42 swept off their foundations. Search and rescue teams evacuated residents using rubber boats, relocating over 100 people to mosques or relatives' houses. Seasonal heavy rainfalls in Indonesia lead to frequent landslides and floods, impacting mountainous regions and floodplains where millions reside across the island chain.

Indonesias Mount Marapi erupts for the second time in weeks, causing ash fall and evacuations


Mount Marapi in Indonesia has erupted for the second time in weeks, spewing smoke and ash into the air. No casualties have been reported, but at least 100 residents have been evacuated. The volcano, located in West Sumatra province, has been active since January last year and is known for sudden eruptions that are difficult to predict. It is among the more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic activity due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Flash Flood in West Sumatra, Indonesia Kills Dozens


A flash flood in Agam, West Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered by heavy rains and torrents of cold lava and mud from a volcano on Sumatra island, has resulted in the death of more than a dozen people and injuries to several others on Sunday, May 12, 2024.

Mount Marapi (Wikipedia)


The Marapi (Malay Arabic: ماراڤي), or Mount Marapi (Indonesian: Gunung Marapi, Minangkabau: Gunuang Marapi, Malay Arabic: ڬونوواڠ ماراڤي), is a complex volcano in West Sumatra, Indonesia, and is the most active volcano in Sumatra. Like that of its quasi-homonym on Java, its name means "Mountain of Fire". Its elevation is 2,885 metres (9,465.2 ft). Several cities and towns are situated around the mountain including Bukittinggi, Padang Panjang, and Batusangkar. The volcano is also popular among hikers.

Search for Missing Persons in Kenya Amid Devastating Flooding


Rescuers are searching for many missing people in Kenya following a dam burst in Mai Mahiu, with at least 169 people reported dead due to heavy rains in Eastern Africa since mid-March. Survivors described houses, cars, and railway tracks being carried away by the floods. The Kenya Red Cross is tracing 76 missing people, with 16 others missing in Garissa after a boat capsized. Over 185,000 Kenyans have been displaced and hundreds killed due to the floods, with neighboring Tanzania and Burundi also affected. Climate change is blamed for intensifying extreme weather events in the region.

Mount Ibu Volcano Erupts in Indonesia's North Maluku Province


Mount Ibu, a volcano in Indonesia's North Maluku province, erupted spewing thick grey ash and dark clouds 5,000 meters into the sky for five minutes. The volcanic earthquakes are intense, signaling a potential future eruption, with the alert level raised to 3, prompting preparations for possible evacuations. Local authorities urge residents and tourists to stay at least 5 kilometers away from the volcano. Indonesia, with 120 active volcanoes, sits along the Ring of Fire, making it prone to volcanic activity.

Rescue of Caramelo the Horse in Brazil Floods


A horse named Caramelo was stranded on a roof during severe flooding in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, gaining national attention. After a dramatic rescue operation involving firefighters and veterinarians sedating and immobilizing the horse, Caramelo, weighing 350 kilograms, was successfully removed and is now recovering at a veterinary hospital. The floods in Rio Grande do Sul have caused over 113 deaths, displaced 230,000 people, and left 136 missing. The extreme weather in Brazil is part of a series of wild weather swings globally, with heatwaves affecting countries like India, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives, Myanmar, and various parts of Africa.

Rohingya Refugees Rescued from Capsized Boat in Indonesia


Dozens of Rohingya refugees were rescued after their boat capsized off the coast of West Aceh, Indonesia. Local fishermen reported the wooden boat carrying Rohingya Muslims had capsized. Survivors were seen standing on the hull of the capsized boat before being rescued and receiving medical examinations at a temporary shelter in Meulaboh.

Sumatra (Wikipedia)


Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 475,807.63 km2 (182,812 mi.2), including adjacent islands such as the Simeulue, Nias, Mentawai, Enggano, Riau Islands, Bangka Belitung and Krakatoa archipelago.Sumatra is an elongated landmass spanning a diagonal northwest–southeast axis. The Indian Ocean borders the northwest, west, and southwest coasts of Sumatra, with the island chain of Simeulue, Nias, Mentawai, and Enggano off the western coast. In the northeast, the narrow Strait of Malacca separates the island from the Malay Peninsula, which is an extension of the Eurasian continent. In the southeast, the narrow Sunda Strait, containing the Krakatoa Archipelago, separates Sumatra from Java. The northern tip of Sumatra is near the Andaman Islands, while off the southeastern coast lie the islands of Bangka and Belitung, Karimata Strait and the Java Sea. The Bukit Barisan mountains, which contain several active volcanoes, form the backbone of the island, while the northeastern area contains large plains and lowlands with swamps, mangrove forest and complex river systems. The equator crosses the island at its centre in West Sumatra and Riau provinces. The climate of the island is tropical, hot, and humid. Lush tropical rain forest once dominated the landscape.Sumatra has a wide range of plant and animal species but has lost almost 50% of its tropical rainforest in the last 35 years. Many species are now critically endangered, such as the Sumatran ground cuckoo, the Sumatran tiger, the Sumatran elephant, the Sumatran rhinoceros, and the Sumatran orangutan. Deforestation on the island has also resulted in serious seasonal smoke haze over neighbouring countries, such as the 2013 Southeast Asian haze which caused considerable tensions between Indonesia and affected countries Malaysia and Singapore. The widespread deforestation and other environmental destruction in Sumatra and other parts of Indonesia has often been described by academics as an ecocide.

Bus Crash in West Java Kills Students and Teachers


A bus carrying high school students and teachers in West Java, Indonesia, crashed into cars and motorbikes, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens as its brakes malfunctioned, according to officials. The accident occurred as the bus was returning from a graduation celebration. Road accidents are common in Indonesia due to poor safety standards and infrastructure.

List of volcanic eruptions by death toll (Wikipedia)


Volcanic eruptions can be highly explosive. Some volcanoes have undergone catastrophic eruptions, killing large numbers of humans or other life forms. This list documents volcanic eruptions by human death toll.

At Least 60 People Die in Mediterranean Crossing, Survivors Report


Survivors from a deflating rubber dinghy rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea reported that at least 60 people who departed Libya with them a week ago died during the journey. Two unconscious individuals were evacuated by the Italian military for treatment, while the remaining 23 survivors suffered from exhaustion, dehydration, and burns from fuel. The group included women, children, and men from Senegal, Mali, and The Gambia. The UN International Organisation for Migration noted 227 deaths on the central Mediterranean route in 2021, out of a total of 279 deaths in the Mediterranean since January 1.

Ethnic Rohingya refugees face horrors on boat fleeing Myanmar


Ethnic Rohingya refugees, including a 12-year-old girl identified as N, faced torture, sexual abuse, and threats of death by the crew on a fishing boat off the coast of Indonesia. These refugees had fled Myanmar and Bangladesh to escape violence, only to encounter similar horrors at sea. The young girl had survived violence in refugee camps in Bangladesh and embarked on the journey alone to Malaysia, where she was promised as a child bride to a stranger.

Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra Cold lava floods in Indonesia leave at least 41 dead and 17 missing, destroying villages in West Sumatra

SOURCES

The Guardian

Dozens killed in cold lava mudslides on Indonesian island of Sumatra

Associated Press

BBC News

Indonesia: Floods and cold lava from Marapi volcano kill 37

https://www.facebook.com/bbcnews

Yahoo! News

Cold lava sweeps villages near volcano, killing 37

Yahoo! News

ABC News

More bodies found in Indonesia after flash floods killed dozens and submerged homes

ABC News

Yahoo! News

More bodies found in Indonesia after flash floods killed dozens and submerged homes

Yahoo! News

AP News

More bodies found in Indonesia after flash floods killed dozens and submerged homes

By KASPARMAN PILIANG

CNN

Deadly cold lava flow from active volcano and widespread flooding hits Indonesia | CNN

Heather Chen

Al Jazeera

Death toll in Indonesian floods, volcanic mud flows rises to 41

Al Jazeera

Daily Mail

Cold lava sweeps villages near Indonesian volcano, kills 40

David Averre

China Daily

Death toll of Indonesia's lava floods rises to 37 with 17 missing

孙汝

Sky News

Cold lava landslides and flash floods leave 43 dead in Indonesia after heavy rains

Sky News

The Sun

At least 41 dead in ‘cold lava’ floods in Indonesia as villages swept away

https://www.facebook.com/TheSunWorldNews/

NBC

Floods kill 37 in Indonesia’s West Sumatra

NBC

PANORA

Flash floods and landslides kill at least 26 people in Indonesia

PANORA

Wikipedia

1979 eruption of Mount Marapi

Wikipedia

PANORA

Flash floods and landslide in Indonesia's Sumatra island leave 19 dead and 7 missing

PANORA

Wikipedia

2023 eruption of Mount Marapi

Wikipedia

PANORA

Flood and Landslide Hit Indonesia's Sulawesi Island, Killing 14 People

PANORA

PANORA

Indonesias Mount Marapi erupts for the second time in weeks, causing ash fall and evacuations

PANORA

PANORA

Flash Flood in West Sumatra, Indonesia Kills Dozens

PANORA

Wikipedia

Mount Marapi

Wikipedia

PANORA

Search for Missing Persons in Kenya Amid Devastating Flooding

PANORA

PANORA

Mount Ibu Volcano Erupts in Indonesia's North Maluku Province

PANORA

PANORA

Rescue of Caramelo the Horse in Brazil Floods

PANORA

PANORA

Rohingya Refugees Rescued from Capsized Boat in Indonesia

PANORA

Wikipedia

Sumatra

Wikipedia

PANORA

Bus Crash in West Java Kills Students and Teachers

PANORA

Wikipedia

List of volcanic eruptions by death toll

Wikipedia

PANORA

At Least 60 People Die in Mediterranean Crossing, Survivors Report

PANORA

PANORA

Ethnic Rohingya refugees face horrors on boat fleeing Myanmar

PANORA