more than 20,000 people affected by the floods

Thousands of people have been forced to seek refuge in higher places. The rivers are overflowing and the water level has risen more than three meters. In Malaysia, more than 400 people were evacuated when their village was covered by floodwaters.

Jakarta () – The floods in recent days have hit various regions of the country, affecting more than 20,000 people. In the western province of Aceh, on the island of Sumatra, torrential rains raised the water level by more than three meters, causing rivers to overflow, forcing thousands of people to seek refuge in higher, protected areas.

The most affected districts are Pidie, Pidie Jaya, Bireuen, Aceh Utara, Aceh Tamiang and Aceh Timur. “In the North Aceh district, the water level rose 3.3 meters,” the local emergency management office (BPBA) reported, explaining that the rains flooded homes as well as public buildings, rice paddies and plantations. The flooding has also caused major traffic congestion: roads are blocked by landslides and access is interrupted. “About 20,900 people have been forced to leave their homes in search of shelter due to heavy rains,” the BPBA statement continued.

Ache is an autonomous province where shari’a, Islamic law, is applied. In recent years it has been repeatedly affected by floods due to climate change. In 2001, 56 floods were recorded compared to 80 in 2020.

Other Southeast Asian countries are also facing heavy rain these days. In the state of Johor, Malaysia, authorities evacuated more than 400 people today after their village was covered by water.