90 People Killed in West Sumatra, Agam Becomes Worst Disaster Site

PADANG PANJANG, KOMPAS — The number of victims from flash floods and landslides in West Sumatra continues to rise, reaching 90 deceased and 86 missing. Agam Regency has become the most severely affected area, with 74 fatalities and 78 individuals reported missing.

"As of Saturday afternoon, the number of victims in the hydrometeorological disaster in West Sumatra has reached 90 deceased and 86 missing," said the Secretary of the West Sumatra Province, Arry Yuswandi, in a written statement on Saturday evening.

Arry explained that the data on casualties or missing persons is spread across seven regions affected by the disaster. "The highest number of victims is in Agam Regency, with 74 people deceased and 78 people missing," he stated.

The other victim data reported by the Sumbar BPBD Pusdalops indicates that in Padang Panjang, 7 people died; in Padang, 5 people died; in Tanah Datar, 2 people died and 1 person is missing; in Solok City, 1 person died; and in Padang Pariaman, 1 person is missing.

Other areas affected by the disaster, but with no reports of casualties or missing persons, include Pariaman, Bukittinggi, Pasaman, Payakumbuh, the Mentawai Islands, Limapuluh Kota, South Solok, Solok Regency, and Pesisir Selatan.

Arry stated that the data was compiled based on official reports from affected districts/cities. The number of victims is likely to continue to rise.

Thank God, the weather in West Sumatra is starting to improve. The skies are starting to turn blue and the sun is back in the air.

West Sumatra Governor Mahyeldi has urged all relevant regional apparatus to optimize the handling of victims of hydrometeorological disasters as the weather conditions in the West Sumatra region improve.

"Alhamdulillah, the weather in West Sumatra is starting to improve. The sky is beginning to turn blue and the sun is visible again. This is an opportunity for us to expedite the handling on the ground," said Governor Mahyeldi on Saturday afternoon.

Despite the increased search intensity, Mahyeldi emphasized that vigilance remains a priority, as potential threats remain.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that Tropical Cyclone Senyar began to weaken after moving away from Indonesian territory and entering mainland Malaysia.

"As of Friday, November 28 at 06:00 WIB, Ex-Cyclone Senyar has weakened in intensity as it moves inland into Malaysia. It is currently located in Selangor and is moving towards the northeast," explained the Director of Public Meteorology at BMKG, Andri Ramdhani.