80 killed in Indonesia floods

New Delhi, Nov 28: At least 80 people have died in Indonesia, and dozens more are missing after devastating floods and landslides struck the country this week.

Millions have been affected across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, according to BBC reports.

The widespread flooding in Indonesia has been triggered by Cyclone Senyar, a highly unusual occurrence near the equator. Erma Yulihastin, a researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), told the BBC that cyclones almost never form in this region. The rainfall has been unprecedented. On 23 November, parts of Sumatra’s west coast recorded 160 mm of rain in a single day. A day later, the figure jumped to 226 mm, far above Indonesia’s monthly average of 150 mm.