Flash floods and landslides have resulted in the loss of lives and properties from Flores Island in eastern Indonesia to East Timor. Initial estimates say more than 70 people have died, and many are missing. The casualty figures are likely to go up once information pours in from remote locations. This is because the climatic disorder has led to the breakage of Travel and communication links. Debris covers the roads, and many areas are isolated. The torrential rain has unleashed largescale destruction, and water from overflowing dams has submerged innumerable homes.
The Disaster Mitigation Agency official says: "The mud and the extreme weather have become a serious challenge, and the debris piling up has hampered the search and rescue team." He adds there could be many people buried beneath the mud. Moreover, those who have been evacuated are spread out in different locations, and they need humanitarian aid like medicine, food, blankets. In August 2018, flash floods on the East Coast led to residents' evacuation and closure of roads.
The BBC says there are reports of loss of lives from East Timor. Most of them are from the capital Dili. Joko Widodo, the president of Indonesia, offered his condolences to the bereaved families. He also urged his people to abide by the advice that the officials give during extreme weather periods.
Rebuilding the infrastructure after floods
When the rainy season arrives, landslides and flash floods frequently happen across the Indonesian archipelago. The President is aware of the effects of such climatic disorders. He has issued orders for disaster relief. These would include assistance to the health service apart from the availability of logistics.
He will also have to worry about rebuilding the infrastructure. When climatic disorders strike and the power supply goes on the blink, Renewable Energy can help. In 2017, after a hurricane struck Puerto Rico and destroyed the electrical grid, Elon Musk pitched in with solar power for the hospital. The BBC adds in January, 40 people died in Java while flash floods and landslides paralyzed Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
Earlier, in September last year, landslides in Borneo took 11 lives. Before that, there were deaths from such causes in Sulawesi. Incidentally, the disaster agency of Indonesia estimates nearly half of the population lives in areas that face the risk of landslides.
The floods created wastelands of mud and uprooted trees
According to NDTV, the flash floods and landslides in Indonesia and neighboring East Timor have killed more than 70 and have converted small communities into wastelands of mud and uprooted trees. The torrential rain followed by landslides forced people to flee to shelters as dams overflowed and submerged many homes. Rescue teams faced difficulties in reaching the trapped people because of the extreme weather conditions.
In September 2018, a hurricane was downgraded to a tropical storm with the prediction of flash floods.
Deforestation could be a reason for the floods
NDTV mentions the death of people in East Timor. This is a small nation of 1.3 million situated between Indonesia and Australia. Many of the deaths were in its inundated capital Dili. Moreover, in the East Flores municipality in Indonesia, homes, bridges, and roads have washed away, and the weather prevented search teams from reaching remote locations. In fact, the landslides swept away portions of some villages down a mountainside. In the opinion of environmentalists, disasters of this nature could be the result of deforestation. This is a degradation of the environment to accommodate man's needs in the name of development. The land reclaimed from forests makes way for constructing roads and building cities.
