TOKYO, December 1. /TASS/. The death toll from devastating floods and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra has surpassed 500, the AFP news agency reports, citing information from rescue services.

Earlier casualty figures had stood at 417.

Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency explained that the disaster was caused by torrential rains, which have continued in the region since the end of last week. Mudslides destroyed homes, roads, and critical infrastructure, hampering rescue operations in the most severely affected districts.