Rescuers struggle to reach isolated communities as anger grows over the government’s disaster response.

The death toll from last week’s devastating floods in Indonesia has risen to more than 500, with rescue teams still fighting to reach isolated areas.

The flooding, triggered by a rare cyclone that formed over the Malacca Strait, has swept through three provinces and affected around 1.4 million people, according to the national disaster agency.

Another 500 people are still missing and thousands have been injured.

Much of Asia has been battered by intense storms and heavy rainfall in recent days, with Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka also reporting fatalities.

In Indonesia, the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have suffered the worst impacts, with many communities still cut off and lacking essential supplies.

Aid workers have been moving on foot and by motorcycle because many roads remain impassable for larger vehicles.

Images from the region show washed out bridges, roads covered in mud and debris, and logs piled high.

At the Twin Bridges landmark in West Sumatra, where enormous amounts of mud and debris were swept in by the floods, Mariana watched excavators clear the area, hoping they would uncover her missing family members including her 15 year old son.

Many survivors are still waiting for food aid, with some reporting they have gone without meals for two to three days.

Maysanti, a resident of Central Tapanuli, one of the hardest hit areas in North Sumatra, said workers were struggling to reach her district. She described dwindling supplies and growing desperation, saying even instant noodles were being fought over.

She added that she has to walk several kilometres from her home just to access an internet signal or find clean water.

In Central Aceh, thousands queued outside the regency office on Sunday night to use Starlink devices provided by local authorities, hoping to contact loved ones or charge their phones.

As rescue operations continue, frustrations have mounted over the government’s handling of the disaster. Critics argue that authorities were unprepared and that bureaucratic delays have slowed the delivery of food and aid.

During a visit to flood affected areas in North Sumatra on Monday, President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged that some roads remained blocked but said the government was “doing everything we can to overcome difficulties.”