Cyclone Senyar Leaves Millions Affected Across Sumatra

1/2/20262 min read

Severe flooding and landslides triggered by Tropical Cyclone Senyar have devastated large parts of Sumatra since late November 2025, with impacts continuing into early January 2026. According to data released by Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) as of January 2, the disaster has resulted in 1,157 confirmed fatalities and 165 people reported missing across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. An estimated 380,287 residents have been displaced, while more than 3.3 million people have been affected by the cyclone and its aftermath.

Prolonged and intense rainfall caused rivers to overflow, leading to widespread flash floods and mudslides that engulfed villages, destroyed thousands of homes, damaged public facilities, and cut off critical road access in at least 19 districts. The death toll rose sharply within days, increasing from 174 fatalities on November 28 to over 1,000 by mid-December, reflecting the sudden onset and severity of the disaster. By December 30, authorities had confirmed 1,140 deaths, with no additional fatalities reported on January 2 as search and rescue operations continued in high-risk and previously inaccessible areas.

Conditions in evacuation centers remain challenging, as many sites struggle with limited clean water supplies, inadequate sanitation, and overcrowding. These conditions have contributed to the spread of health issues, including acute respiratory infections, dengue fever, and chronic illness complications such as hypertension among displaced populations. While BNPB has assessed that national-level resources remain sufficient, enabling provincial governments to manage the response without declaring a full national emergency, humanitarian needs remain significant.

Recovery efforts are now focused on restoring damaged infrastructure, reopening transportation routes, and ensuring the equitable distribution of aid to affected communities. However, ongoing rainfall, unstable terrain, and identified landslide-prone areas continue to pose serious risks, suggesting that affected regions may face prolonged recovery challenges and the potential for further disasters in the coming weeks.

Image Credits

Mongabay. “Sumatra’s Natural Disaster Wasn’t Natural: How Deforestation Turned a Rare Cyclone Catastrophic.” Mongabay, Dec. 2025, news.mongabay.com/2025/12/sumatras-natural-disaster-wasnt-natural-how-deforestation-turned-a-rare-cyclone-catastrophic/. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Works Cited

Al Arabiya English. “Indonesia Flood Death Toll Passes 1,000.” Asharq Al-Awsat English, n.d., english.aawsat.com/world/5218979-indonesia-flood-death-toll-passes-1000. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Antara News. “Indonesia Has Sufficient Resources to Address Sumatra Disasters: BNPB.” Antara News, n.d., en.antaranews.com/news/398266/indonesia-has-sufficient-resources-to-address-sumatra-disasters-bnpb. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Katadata. “87 Hotspots Detected in Indonesia in Last 24 Hours, Friday, January 2, 2026.” Katadata Databoks, 2 Jan. 2026, databoks.katadata.co.id/en/demographics/statistics/bafec883b607090/87-hotspots-detected-in-indonesia-in-last-24-hours-friday-january-2-2026. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

ReliefWeb. “Indonesia: IHCP Situation Report #6 – Floods, Flash Floods, and Landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra Provinces.” ReliefWeb, 29 Dec. 2025, reliefweb.int/report/indonesia/indonesia-ihcp-situation-report-6-floods-flash-floods-and-landslides-aceh-north-sumatra-and-west-sumatra-provinces-december-29-2025. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Reuters. “Floods, Landslides in Indonesia’s Sumatra Kill at Least 174.” Reuters, 28 Nov. 2025, www.reuters.com/business/environment/floods-landslides-indonesias-sumatra-kill-least-174-2025-11-28/. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Tempo English. “BNPB: No New Fatalities Reported in Sumatra Disaster Today.” Tempo, n.d., en.tempo.co/read/2077739/bnpb-no-new-fatalities-reported-in-sumatra-disaster-today. Accessed 29 Dec. 2025.

Cyclone Senyar Leaves Millions Affected Across Sumatra