Gayo Community Reaches Out To PMX For Helicopter Aid As Aceh Battles Deadly Floods
The aftermath of catastrophic flooding in Aceh has left more than 600 dead and thousands without critical supplies.
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The Indonesian community in Aceh has been battling floods caused by the cyclonic storm Senyar which also hit several other Southeast Asian countries last week.
Aceh, along with North and West Sumatra were among areas in Indonesia which were hit the hardest.
Thousands of people are cut off and have been without supplies and aid for about a week, with emergency services facing difficult challenges in reaching them.
Gayo community calls for PMX to send helicopter aid
An account on instagram called @explore_gayo posted an image calling for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to send helicopter aid for flood victims in the Gayo Lues Regency, a regency in the Aceh Special Region.
“We, the Gayo community, urge Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, to send helicopter aid. The Gayo community is starving. Five days with no aid,” the poster said.
In the comments section, Indonesians wondered why their leaders are not acting fast enough, reaching the point of being driven to seek help from a neighbouring country.
“We’re asking for help from overseas. How sad. Where are our leaders?” one Instagram user commented.
Death toll has reached over 600 in Indonesia
According to a recent BBC report, the death toll in Indonesia has passed 600, with many cut off from critical supplies while nearly 500 people remain missing and thousands more injured.
Indonesia is just one part of Asia which has been hit with torrential rain and storms in recent days, with Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka.
CNA reported a total of 1,300 deaths due to extreme flood events in three countries.
In Thailand, flooding subemerged vast areas in the Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Pattani and Yala provinces. According to Bangkok Post, Thailands Public Health Ministry said that Hat Yai recorded 138 deaths as of 4pm last Sunday (30 November) but the numbers are still under dispute.
Sri Lanka was hit by Cyclone Ditwah, bringing catastrophic floods and landslides that killed more than 460 people, with hundreds still missing and 30,000 homes left damaged, BBC reported.
No deaths have been reported in Malaysia.
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