Severe floods and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra have killed at least 174 people, left nearly 80 missing, and displaced thousands, local media reported on Friday.

The hardest-hit region has been North Sumatra with 116 fatalities and 42 missing, while 23 victims were confirmed in West Sumatra with 12 missing, Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, the head of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, told a Friday news conference, according to Detik News.

In Aceh, northwestern Sumatra, 35 people have died, with another 25 still missing.

Suharyanto, who goes by one name, said the death toll could rise as search efforts continue, noting that the figures released on Friday afternoon are only preliminary.

Ilham Abdi, head of the Bener Meriah Communications and Information Agency, earlier said that it is difficult to assess the full extent of the damage as most of the affected areas are facing power outages and communication disruptions.

As of Thursday, floodwaters in some regions have remained dangerously high, as rivers continue to overflow. Some residential areas have been submerged by up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) of water.

Rescue teams are working to evacuate residents who were trapped inside their homes, as flooded roads have left many vehicles stranded. (AA)

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