Indonesia was hit by some of the worst flooding in decades in December 2023, as torrential rains overwhelmed rivers and caused widespread devastation across the country.

Jakarta, the capital, and surrounding provinces were particularly hard-hit, with thousands of homes destroyed and infrastructure severely damaged. The flooding displaced millions of people and disrupted local economies, with many businesses forced to close for days or even weeks.

The disaster highlights Indonesia’s growing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, with rising sea levels, deforestation and increasingly erratic weather patterns exacerbating the risk of flooding.

Experts have warned that the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events are likely to increase, with Indonesia’s densely populated urban areas particularly exposed to the impacts of rising sea levels.

In response to the crisis, the Indonesian government declared a state of emergency and called for international aid to help with disaster relief efforts. The situation has prompted renewed calls for the country to invest in climate resilience measures, including better flood control infrastructure, reforestation efforts and sustainable urban planning.

As a country composed of more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia faces unique challenges in combating the effects of climate change, making the flooding in December 2023 a stark reminder of the urgent need for global cooperation and climate action.