Indonesia uses elephants to aid flood, landslide recovery

(MENAFN) Indonesia has deployed Sumatran elephants to assist in recovery efforts after severe flooding and landslides that have killed or left missing over 1,200 people, authorities said Tuesday.

The Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) sent four trained elephants to Aceh province on Sumatra’s northwestern tip to remove fallen trees and debris in areas where heavy machinery cannot reach, a news channel reported. The floods and landslides have also destroyed roads, further complicating relief efforts.

The National Disaster Management Agency reported that more than 3.2 million people have been affected, with over 1 million displaced to safer locations in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces.

Separately, China said it is monitoring the situation closely. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated that Chinese leaders have extended sympathies and will continue providing humanitarian assistance to support Indonesia’s recovery efforts.

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