BBC Breakfast was halted for a tragic news update on Tuesday (December 2) as a man was left “barely hanging on”.
During today’s edition of the hit morning programme, hosts Sally Nugent and Jon Kay updated viewers on the latest news from across the UK and around the world.
They were joined in the studio by Matt Taylor, who delivered regular weather forecasts, while Emma Vardy presented business updates.
Later in the show, Sally shared heartbreaking news from Indonesia, saying: “The number of people who have died in flooding and landslides across Indonesia has now risen to at least 600. Rescue workers and the military are continuing to attempt to reach those in the worst affected areas.
“Elsewhere, heavy rain and widespread flooding has also killed hundreds more in Sri Lanka.”
BBC correspondent Jonathan Head then explained the horrific impact of the landslides in a pre-recorded clip.
“Exhausted after clinging for hours to a palm tree, this Indonesian man was lucky to be rescued. Shortly after that, the boat finds another man barely hanging on in the raging current,” he shared, as footage of the rescues were shown on screen.
“The past month has brought exceptionally heavy rainfall to South East Asia, catching millions of people off guard. Huge mudslides have buried communities here on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. There was little warning.
“Those who escaped have come back to find their villages barely recognisable. Buildings crushed, roads swept away.”
Jonathan then shared news of a tragic death, saying: “[This woman] is one of the hundreds who died in the flood, carried here by her family for a simple burial in the forest.”
“She was trapped under debris and flood water for four days,” said the woman’s son, Eric. “We didn’t have the strength to dig her out with our hands. We had to wait for heavy machinery to pull her out.”
Jonathan continued: “People here are in urgent need of pretty much everything, but with so many roads blocked and so many bridges down, getting supplies in is difficult. Cleaning up will be a mammoth task. There is mud everywhere.”
The storms have now moved on to Sri Lanka, inundating much of the island. One third of the country is now without power, and boats are the only way to get around.
The correspondent concluded: “With climate change, the weather keeps getting more extreme, more unpredictable. Everyone here knows they may have to face this or worse again in the future.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am
