Nov 29, Kathmandu - The death toll from floods and landslides caused by monsoon rainfall on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Tuesday has reached 164, and the search for 79 missing people is ongoing.

Indonesian officials said in a statement that rescue workers were facing difficulties due to a lack of necessary equipment, citing flooding that had damaged roads. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has now revised the death toll to 164, after initially reporting 174 deaths.

The agency's chief, Suhariyanto, told a news conference that the death toll in North Sumatra province had risen to 116, with rescuers recovering 23 bodies in the west of the island. He confirmed that rescue teams were facing difficulties in reaching the affected areas in 12 cities and districts in North Sumatra, where the floods have submerged more than 17,000 homes and displaced about 23,000 people.

The flood has swept away many hill villages. More than 3,200 government houses and buildings have been submerged due to the flood, and about 3,000 families who were taking shelter in the area have been displaced. The flood has also destroyed rice crops, livestock and public facilities, making life miserable for people.