Dozens are dead and scores more are missing after catastrophic flash floods and landslides tore through villages on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The tragedy, which has claimed at least 69 lives, is a harsh reminder of the growing threat of extreme weather, echoing Kenya's own recent, devastating battles with deadly floods.

The disaster unfolded this week when intense monsoon rains caused rivers in North Sumatra province to burst their banks. The resulting deluge swept away people, submerged over 2,000 homes, and forced nearly 5,000 residents into government shelters, according to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency.

A Desperate Race for Survivors

Rescue teams are now in a desperate race against time, using everything from jackhammers to their bare hands to dig through thick mud and rubble for survivors. Ferry Walintukan, a provincial police spokesperson, confirmed that the death toll in North Sumatra province alone had reached 37. He warned that with many people still missing and remote areas cut off by blackouts and communication failures, the death toll was likely to rise.

The scale of the devastation is immense, with casualties reported across multiple districts:

• South Tapanuli: 17 bodies recovered.
• Sibolga City: 8 bodies recovered.
• Central Tapanuli: A family of four was among those killed when landslides hit several homes.
• West Sumatra: At least 23 people were reported dead, with thousands of homes submerged.

A Familiar Struggle

For Kenyans, the images of destruction from Sumatra are painfully familiar. The March to May 2024 rainy season in Kenya led to 294 fatalities and displaced approximately 55,000 households, according to a report from the Kenya Red Cross. Nairobi's informal settlements, such as Mathare and Kibera, were among the hardest hit, highlighting the vulnerability of urban populations living near riverbanks.

Like in Sumatra, where rescue efforts are hampered by damaged infrastructure, Kenyan authorities have previously struggled with disaster response amid widespread damage to roads and bridges. The events in both nations underscore a shared and urgent challenge: building resilience against a changing climate that is making such extreme weather events more frequent and more intense.

As emergency crews continue their grim search in Sumatra's mud-caked villages, the tragedy serves as a global call to action. For nations on the frontline of climate change, from Indonesia to Kenya, preparing for the next deluge is not a matter of if, but when.