A man walks through a village destroyed by flooding
By BBC Indonesian
07/12/25
The death toll in Indonesia from recent flooding has passed 900, with hundreds still missing.
More than 100,000 homes were destroyed when a rare and powerful cyclone formed over the Malaca Strait last week, bringing torrential rain and landslides to parts of the South East Asian country.
Efforts to reach people in areas still cut off are ongoing, with aid having to be airdropped into some places.
The Indonesia floods were one of several extreme weather events to hit Asia in recent weeks, with the cumulative death toll in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam approaching 2,000.
In Aceh Tamiang, one of the hardest-hit areas of Indonesia, survivors described villages being entirely swept away by fast-moving deluges.
One survivor in Lintang Bawah Village told the BBC Indonesian service that people survived by sitting on top of their homes.
Fitriana said: “There were also those who survived on the roofs of their houses with their four-year-old children, for three days without eating or drinking.”
She said around 90% of the homes in her village were destroyed, leaving 300 families with nowhere to go.
One man recounted how he and his family were evacuated by boat when the floodwaters inundated his home up to the second floor, only for them to need to flee again from a nearby village.
He said: “That night, while we were sleeping, water suddenly soaked the mattresses we were sleeping on [in Gampoeng Dalam Village]. But we couldn’t go anywhere else, because there was no higher ground.
“Luckily, my daughter-in-law’s house was on two levels. So we climbed upstairs and that’s where we survived.”
A group of people walk along a muddy road which has been left destroyed by flooding
Aid workers are navigating muddy and destroyed roads to try and reach people
The region’s governor said response teams were still searching for bodies in “waist-deep” mud, according to the AFP news agency.
He said: “Many people need basic necessities. Many areas remain untouched in the remote areas of Aceh.
“People are not dying from the flood, but from starvation. That’s how it is.”
Indonesian media reported inmates were released from one prison when floodwaters threatened to engulf the facility, with officials saying there was nowhere else for them to be sent.
Land access to two areas, Sibolga City and Central Tapanuli, remained cut off as of Sunday, with aid only able to reach them by air and sea respectively.
There have been reports of looting at supermarkets in some areas.
At least 25 people dead after major fire at nightclub in Goa, India
An official has ordered an inquiry into the deadly fire, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the incident was “deeply saddening”.
SKY NEWS UK
Sunday 7 December 2025
At least 25 people have been killed after a fire at a Goa nightclub, police in the Indian state have said.
The blaze reportedly started around midnight on Saturday local time.
The majority of victims were kitchen staff at the club – although around three to four tourists are thought to be among those killed.
Videos on social media showed emergency services lining up to help the injured – some of whom were taken to nearby hospitals.
The majority of victims were kitchen staff at the club – although around three to four tourists are thought to be among those killed.
Dr Pramod Sawant, Goa’s chief minister, said: “I am deeply grieved and offer my heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families in this hour of unimaginable loss.”
He later said he was “closely reviewing the situation arising from the tragic fire” – adding six additional people had been injured.
“All six injured persons are in a stable condition and are receiving the best medical care,” he said.
Breaking Heathrow Airport live: Armed police arrest man after ‘number of people sprayed’ SKY NEWS UK Sunday 7 December 2025 11:36, UK
Emergency services have been responding to a “significant incident” at a Heathrow Airport car park, according to the airport and ambulance service. Armed police are visible at the scene. Travel has been disrupted in the area. Follow the latest below.
Heathrow Airport LIVE
Key points Armed police arrest man after ‘number of people sprayed’ at Heathrow View post Search still on for suspects – what we know about ‘pepper spray assault’ View post Five people taken to hospital View post Pictured: Armed police at scene as person detained View post Airport says emergency services are at Terminal 3
Rejects call for interim budget to deal with Ditwah-aftermath
Asks Parliament to reconvene on 19 Dec. to approve Rs. 50 b supplementary estimate for disaster relief in 2025
Plans to submit another Rs. 500 b supplementary estimate in Jan. 2026
Says seeking larger IMF tranche in addition to $ 200 m in SDR support
Details spending plan for affected households, businesses, and economic sectors
Calls for three-year common policy framework for recovery
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake making a special statement at the Parliament yesterday
Rejecting calls to present an interim Budget to deal with the post-Ditwah recovery, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday told Parliament that the Government has presented a Rs. 50 billion supplementary estimate to finance urgent disaster relief, with another to be presented for Rs. 500 billion in January 2026.
He asked MPs to approve the measure, noting that it forms part of a broader package of reallocations to address the scale of economic and social damage.
He also said the Government is in discussions with the International Monetary Fund to increase the size of the next programme tranche and has requested an additional $200 million from the Fund’s Special Drawing Rights window to meet immediate foreign exchange needs.
He said the IMF had proposed postponing Sri Lanka’s fifth review from December to January or February following the disaster.
“In December, we were due to receive a tranche of $ 324 million. We are in discussion to increase that tranche. To increase it, we need both negotiations and time,” he said.
Discussions with the Asian Development Bank are also under way to secure financing for small and medium-scale enterprises affected by the floods and landslides.
The President said Ditwah was the most severe natural disaster in recent decades and that entire villages and families had been affected. “Our aim must be to create a state of higher quality than that which existed for those who lived,” he said. He confirmed that 1.7 million people had been affected, 5,165 houses destroyed and 57,312 partially damaged.
With the Rs. 50 billion supplementary estimate and an existing Rs. 22.2 billion allocation, the Government has Rs. 72.2 billion earmarked for deployment over the next 25 days.
“Along with that, we already have Rs. 22.2 billion. That means we have Rs. 72.2 billion to spend over the next 25 days,” he said. He added that Rs. 10.5 billion had already been released to District Secretaries.
Households will receive Rs. 25,000 to clean and sanitise their homes and a Rs. 50,000 one-off grant to replace essential kitchen equipment.
Families who lost homes to landslides and remain in displacement camps will receive Rs. 25,000 per month for three months, with plans to extend this to six months. Families who lost both homes and livelihoods will receive Rs. 50,000 per month from December to March to secure temporary accommodation.
In agriculture, the Government will provide Rs. 150,000 per hectare for paddy, grains and legumes and Rs. 200,000 per hectare for vegetables.
“Our aim is to prepare this shattered economy to recover. Agriculture is central to that,” he said. Registered livestock farms and SMEs will each receive Rs. 200,000, while registered fishing boats that were destroyed will receive Rs. 400,000 per vessel.
The Treasury will provide Rs. 15,000 for educational materials for affected schoolchildren, supplemented by Rs. 10,000 from the President’s Fund. Compensation for disaster-damaged properties includes up to Rs. 5 million for business premises and Rs. 5 million to rebuild fully destroyed houses.
Families without land will receive land or up to an additional Rs. 5 million to purchase land. Grants of Rs. 1 million to Rs. 2.5 million will be available for partially damaged homes. For each death, the State will provide Rs. 1 million.
The President said the Government would redirect Rs. 40 billion from existing road development allocations and had instructed Provincial Councils to use part of their budgets for affected road networks.
He said 87% of the electricity supply had been restored and critical repairs to the Mahiyanganaya 132 kV transmission line were under way, together with work to restore water and telecommunications systems.
President Dissanayake said the economy had been on a recovery path before the disaster, noting revenue of 15.9% of GDP, a projected deficit of 4.5% and improvements in exports and tourism.
“This (2026) Budget has been prepared with the aim of completing a particular economic strategy. We will not dismantle it,” he said, rejecting calls for an interim budget.
He added that the Government would present a further Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate to the 2026 Budget and that Parliament would need to meet in December under emergency provisions to consider the immediate estimate now before the House.
He also announced the formation of a Presidential Task Force for reconstruction with seven specialised units and said new legislation would be brought to Parliament to support a multi-year recovery.
Calling for political unity, he said, “At least in the face of this disaster, let us come together around a common policy framework and work to lift the country out of this crisis.” He urged both the Opposition and the private sector to support a three-year national reconstruction effort.
President pays final respects to helicopter pilot killed in flood rescue mission
December 4, 2025
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has paid his final respect to the remains of SLAF Group Captain Nirmal Siyambalapitiya, according to the President’s Media Division.
Group Captain Nirmala Siyambalapitiya, who served as the Captain Pilot of a Bell 212 helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), died when it crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing in Lunuwila during a flood relief mission.
President Dissanayake visited the late officer’s residence in Ratmalana, where the remains of Group Captain Siyambalapitiya have been placed this morning (04) and paid his final respect.
He also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the pilot’s wife, parents, brothers and sisters, as well as the rest of the family, the PMD noted.
Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (retd) Sampath Thuyacontha, were also present on this occasion.
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