(MENAFN) The death toll from last week’s devastating floods in Indonesia has risen above 500, with rescue teams still striving to access hard-hit areas.

The floods, triggered by a rare cyclone over the Malacca Strait, have affected three provinces and left around 1.4 million people impacted, according to government disaster authorities. An additional 500 individuals remain missing, while thousands more have sustained injuries.

Indonesia is among several Asian nations experiencing heavy rains and storms in recent days, with Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka also reporting fatalities. The provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra have been the most severely affected, with many communities still isolated and lacking essential supplies.

Arini Amalia, from Aceh’s Pidie Jaya Regency, described the floodwaters as "like a tsunami." She added, “According to my grandmother, this is the worst, the worst in her life.”

Aid workers are attempting to reach affected populations on foot or by motorcycle, as many roads remain blocked. Images from the region depict bridges destroyed, roads buried under mud and debris, and large piles of logs.

At West Sumatra’s Twin Bridges, where mud and debris accumulated heavily, Mariana watched excavators clear the roads, hoping they would locate her missing family, including her 15-year-old son. She said, "Watching the excavators, seeing how thick the mud is… I keep thinking, what condition will my child be in when they find him? Will he still be intact? My mother, my brother-in-law… Looking at how it is here, maybe their faces won't even be recognisable any more."

Many residents are still awaiting food aid. In Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra, one resident, Maysanti, reported, "Everything is gone; our food supplies are running out. We can't eat. Even instant noodles are being fought over now. Our food is gone; we need food and rice. Access to us is completely cut off." She added that she must walk kilometers to access the internet or basic necessities like clean water.

In Central Aceh, authorities have provided Starlink devices, and thousands queued outside the regency office hoping to contact relatives or charge phones. One resident, Mar, said, "It's been five days with no signal. We've been waiting since yesterday in case the network comes back. I'm planning to call my mother in Banda Aceh, but until now I still can't reach her."

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