MEDAN: Several regions in North Sumatra were hit by floods over the past few days despite the intensifying dry season across much of the country.
Thousands of homes in Binjai, Pematang Siantar and Simalungun were inundated by knee-deep floodwaters on Friday after torrential rain pounded the areas overnight on Thursday.
In Pematang Siantar, floodwaters inundated a section of the Trans-Sumatra Highway linking the city with the provincial capital of Medan, causing major traffic disruptions and hampering residents' daily activities.
In Binjai, torrential rain that swept through the city on Thursday evening toppled a tree, seriously injuring a nearby meatball vendor.
Wan Agus Yahya, a resident of Simalungun Regency, said floodwaters surged into his neighbourhood in the early hours of Friday, submerging roads and inundating homes.
"Residents remain on alert because the floodwaters have yet to recede as of this morning," Wan Agus said on Friday.
Wan Agus said flooding had become a recurring problem in his community, striking almost every year while authorities had yet to implement a permanent solution.
"The flooding happens every year, but the government has done nothing to solve the problem. They shouldn't wait until residents become victims before taking action," he said.
Jhon Vhento Hasudungan Purba, head of the Preparedness Division at the Simalungun Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), said seven emergency responders from the agency had been deployed to evacuate residents trapped by the flooding.
He urged residents to avoid travelling through flooded areas, warning motorists not to risk driving through rising floodwaters.
"Anyone still on the road should put their safety first. Do not force your way through flooded areas," he said on Friday.
The Medan Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said rainfall that lashed parts of North Sumatra on Thursday was expected to continue into Friday.
The agency said rain of varying intensity, from light to heavy, was forecast across the province from morning until night, affecting areas including Deli Serdang, Batubara, Tebing Tinggi, Serdang Bedagai, Simalungun, Labuhanbatu, South Labuhanbatu, North Labuhanbatu, Padang Lawas, Dairi, Humbang Hasundutan, Karo, Langkat, Pakpak Bharat, Samosir, North Tapanuli and Toba.
Medan BMKG official Defri Mendoza said the rainfall would be accompanied by winds blowing from the south to the north at speeds of three to 10 kilometres per hour, increasing the risk of hydrometeorological disasters.
"We urge residents to remain alert, particularly those living in mountainous areas and along the western slopes of North Sumatra. These areas are expected to receive heavy rainfall that could trigger hydrometeorological disasters such as floods and landslides," he said.
The flooding in North Sumatra highlights Indonesia's increasingly uneven weather patterns, with some regions experiencing heavy rainfall even as the dry season intensifies across much of the archipelago.
As of late July, more than two-thirds of the country had entered the dry season, with most areas forecast to receive below-normal rainfall for the rest of the year, according to BMKG.
Indonesia is expected to experience a longer and drier season this year as the impacts of El Niño intensify, bringing reduced rainfall from the Pacific Ocean towards the archipelago.
Several regions have already reported wildfires and drought as dry conditions persist.
