The recent catastrophic floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia have resulted in over 1300 fatalities, with nearly 1000 individuals reported missing. This was reported by The Associated Press.
Heavy monsoon rains have inundated vast areas in these four nations, leaving thousands homeless and without means of livelihood.
According to local governments, the floods and landslides have claimed at least 1347 lives: 753 in Indonesia, 410 in Sri Lanka, 181 in Thailand, and three in Malaysia.
In Indonesia, which suffered the most devastation and loss of life, rescuers are using helicopters and boats to reach several villages on the island of Sumatra, where roads and bridges have been destroyed, and at least 650 people are still considered missing. However, worsening weather conditions and damaged infrastructure are hampering the rescue efforts.
This disaster is the deadliest in Indonesia in the last seven years, following a 2018 earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi that killed over 4300 people.
In Sri Lanka, military rescue teams are scouring flood-ravaged areas for 336 individuals missing after Cyclone «Ditva» struck the island nation's eastern coast on Friday. Search operations are also hindered by blocked roads and destroyed bridges from landslides.
Residents in affected areas of Sri Lanka are complaining about issues with drinking water, but authorities have warned that conditions could worsen as more rain is forecast in the coming days.
In southern Thailand, cleanup efforts are underway following severe flooding that impacted over 1.5 million households and 3.9 million people. Authorities are working on restoring infrastructure, including water supply and electricity.
The Thai Ministry of Interior has set up community kitchens to provide food for affected residents, and the government has already started distributing $7.4 million in compensation to 26,000 individuals who have sought assistance.
In Malaysia, at least three people have died due to flooding in the northern state of Perlis, bordering Thailand, and around 6,000 individuals have been evacuated to safety.