Death toll from floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra rises to 174

The death toll from flash floods and landslides on Indonesia's Sumatra island Friday rose to 174 on Friday with 79 people missing, authorities said.

Rescuers were hampered by damaged bridges and roads and a lack of heavy equipment.

The death toll in North Sumatra province rose to 116, while 35 people died in Aceh. Rescuers also retrieved 23 bodies in West Sumatra, National Disaster Mitigation Agency's Chief Suharyanto said.


A tropical cyclone is expected to continue hitting the Southeast Asian nation for days, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency reported.