Growing Calls to Combat Deforestation as Asia Flood Death Toll Exceeds 1,500

PADANG, Indonesia The death toll from last weeks devastating floods and landslides across parts of Asia has climbed above 1,500 as rescue teams struggle to reach survivors trapped by the disaster, with hundreds still missing throughout the affected regions. Experts warn that widespread deforestation over decades may have intensified the destruction, prompting demands for urgent government action.

The authorities need to investigate and improve forest management, said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher who lost his home in West Sumatra. Illegal logging had left the hills surrounding his village outside Padang scarred. We cannot afford for such a disaster to repeat, he added.

Official figures report 837 deaths in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka, 185 in Thailand, and three in Malaysia. Many communities in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remain buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for. Thousands of residents face critical shortages of food and clean water due to isolated areas caused by washed-out roads and destroyed bridges, alongside disrupted communications.

Television footage from Indonesia showed large amounts of timber being swept downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh. WALHI, the countrys leading environmental organization, stated that decades of deforestation from mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging have eliminated natural barriers that absorb rainfall and stabilize soil. The disaster was worsened by human activity, said WALHI activist Rianda Purba. Unchecked development has left Sumatra vulnerable.

In 2024 alone, over 240,000 hectares of primary forest were lost, exposing small river basins to severe flooding. Global Forest Watch highlighted that since 2000, Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra have lost 19,600 square kilometers of forestan area larger than New Jersey. Without immediate restoration, more lives are at risk, Purba warned.

Emergency crews discovered massive piles of neatly cut timber among the debris on Parkit Beach, indicating illegal logging rather than natural flood damage. Neviana, a clean-up worker, noted, The wood was deliberately cut, not torn out by the flood. Resident Ria Wati added, These logs are different from trees uprooted naturallythey were clearly cut.

President Prabowo Subianto, visiting the disaster zones, promised new policies to prevent deforestation and protect forests. In North Sumatras Batang Toru region, heavily affected by mining and energy projects, hundreds of hectares were cleared, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds clogged. Lawmakers have called for revoking the permits of companies responsible.

Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced investigations into eight companies suspected of aggravating the disaster, stating that environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must consider extreme rainfall events. Accountability is necessary, he affirmed.

Author: Logan Reeves