Jakarta. Cyclone Senyar, a rare tropical system for the Malacca Strait, continues to intensify as it moves northeast toward Malaysia after unleashing days of deadly extreme weather across Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, meteorological authorities said on Friday.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that Senyar’s center is now located over the South China Sea, west of Tarempa in the Anambas Islands, carrying winds of 30 knots and a minimum pressure of 1,006 hectopascals. The system is forecast to strengthen within 24 hours, with winds expected to reach 35 knots (65 kilometers per hour), raising the likelihood of Senyar redeveloping into a Category 1 tropical cyclone.

“Atmospheric conditions still support intensification. The probability of Senyar strengthening back into a Category 1 system is quite high,” BMKG Deputy for Meteorology Guswanto said on Friday. The storm’s intensity is projected to remain stable for 48 hours before weakening as it interacts with Tropical Cyclone Koto within three days.

Sumatra’s Death Toll Climbs to 116

The series of disasters triggered by Senyar across Sumatra has grown increasingly deadly. Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported Friday that 116 people have been confirmed dead, while 42 others remain missing, mostly in North Sumatra.

BNPB Chief Suharyanto said North Sumatra has suffered the heaviest impact compared with other provinces. Although the disaster response has entered its fourth day, search efforts remain hampered by difficult terrain, damaged access routes, and severe weather.

“As of today, we’ve recorded 116 fatalities and 42 people still unaccounted for,” Suharyanto said during a press briefing streamed on the BNPB YouTube channel.

Several affected areas remain unreachable, and authorities fear the death toll may continue rising. “There are still locations we have not been able to access, where indications of additional victims are quite strong,” he warned.

Search teams are working by land and air, but unstable terrain continues to slow the deployment of heavy machinery. Communication with local governments is being maintained to update casualty data and identify urgent logistical needs. Authorities have also urged regional governments to expedite the establishment of medical posts and public kitchens at the most crowded evacuation centers.

A Rare Cyclone Fueled by Shifting Climate Patterns

According to BMKG, Senyar’s formation is highly unusual. The Malacca Strait rarely produces cyclones because it lies close to the equator, where the Coriolis force, needed to generate cyclone rotation, is weak. But shifting climate patterns and changing atmospheric dynamics have made such rare events increasingly possible.

Senyar began as tropical disturbance 95B on Nov. 21 in waters east of Aceh before unleashing days of torrential rain, strong winds, and coastal flooding across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, exacerbating landslides, flash floods, and widespread damage.

BMKG continues to warn of indirect impacts, including extreme rain in Riau Islands and West Kalimantan, heavy precipitation in West Sumatra, Jambi, and Riau, and strong winds in West Sumatra and Riau Islands. Wave heights of 1.25 to 2.5 meters are predicted for several key maritime routes, including the Natuna Sea and the Anambas waters.

Indonesia is deploying weather modification operations to help reduce rainfall intensity. In North Sumatra, three of five planned cloud-seeding sorties have been completed. Aceh is preparing its first sortie, while in West Sumatra, an Alkonost PK-DPI aircraft was scheduled to arrive Friday night to support operations. A Caravan aircraft has also been assigned to strengthen capability across three provinces.

BMKG confirmed that Senyar is now moving away from Indonesia toward Malaysia.

Malaysia Braces for Severe Storm Conditions

Malaysia is preparing for its own severe impacts. Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) Director-General Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said during an emergency briefing on Thursday that this is the first time a tropical storm in the region has reached such intensity.

Senyar is expected to affect ten Malaysian states and federal territories—Kedah, Penang, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, and Johor—with continuous heavy rain, strong winds, and rough seas over the next two days. Perak, Selangor, and Pahang are forecast to be the hardest-hit before the storm moves eastward.

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