Aid Won't Save Us: Indonesia's Foreseen Flood Disaster
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The deadly floods that hit Sumatra in late 2025 were not a surprise. Experts say they were a predictable disaster.
Cyclonic rainfall, made worse by warmer seas and damaged landscapes, overwhelmed Indonesia's Aceh and North Sumatra provinces. The catastrophe killed nearly 1,000 people and displaced more than a million.
Critical infrastructure failed. Roads vanished, clinics were forced to close, and food supply chains broke down.
The disaster highlights a harsh reality: the biggest risk is not a lack of international aid after a crisis. It is the failure to address known environmental threats before they strike.