Floods in Southeast Asia

Indonesia: Deforestation May Have Contributed to Disaster

The deadly floods in Indonesia may have been exacerbated by the country’s extensive deforestation, according to experts, environmental groups and the country’s government.

More than 600 people have been killed and a million have been displaced by torrential rains that have caused flooding and landslides. Indonesia is one of the world’s most deforested countries; last year, more than 240,000 hectares of forest were cleared.

Because trees help absorb rainwater and stabilize the soil, the risk of landslides is lower in forested areas.

“Protecting our forests is crucial,” President Prabowo Subiante said during a press conference on the floods last week.

Aminah, 63, climbed onto the roof and survived: “Many houses were swept away”

63-year-old Aminah Ali’s house is destroyed after the heavy floods in Indonesia last week. In an interview with The Guardian, she says that she survived by climbing onto the roof as the water levels rose. She waited 24 hours on the roof before she could get herself to safety.

“I saw many houses being swept away,” she says.

Busra Ishak, 60, survived by clinging to a tree. His house was also completely destroyed after the floods.

“The incredibly strong currents could have killed an elephant,” he says.

In total, more than 1,300 people have died in Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, the death toll has exceeded 700.