(MENAFN) Catastrophic flooding and landslides have claimed at least 116 lives across Indonesia's Sumatra island, with 42 individuals still unaccounted for, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported Friday.

North Sumatra province has absorbed the most devastating impact, according to BNPB chief Suharyanto, as rescue operations enter their fourth day amid treacherous conditions that continue blocking access to affected zones.

Suharyanto stated at a media briefing streamed on the BNPB YouTube channel, according to media: "As of today, we've recorded 116 fatalities and 42 people still unaccounted for."

Media also reported that thousands are displaced due to the severe weather.

Destroyed roadways, hazardous terrain, and relentless adverse weather are severely limiting search-and-rescue capabilities, leaving numerous communities isolated from emergency responders.

Authorities fear the death toll will climb as teams struggle to reach remote areas where survivors may be trapped.

Suharyanto warned: "There are still locations we have not been able to access, where indications of additional victims are quite strong."

Ground and aerial search units are deployed across the disaster zone, though rugged landscapes prevent heavy equipment from reaching critical sites where victims may remain buried under debris.

Emergency coordinators maintain constant communication with local officials to track casualty updates and coordinate urgent supply deliveries to affected populations.

BNPB leadership has directed regional administrations to expedite establishment of medical facilities and food distribution centers at high-capacity evacuation sites where displaced residents have congregated.

The disaster represents one of Indonesia's deadliest natural catastrophes this year, striking an island already vulnerable to extreme weather events intensified by seasonal monsoon patterns.

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