Cyclones trigger devastating floods in Asia as death toll passes 1,000

Hundreds of people are missing in Sri Lanka following flooding and landslides in the past week

At least 1,000 people have died after storms and cyclones triggered heavy rainfall and devastating floods in several Asian countries.

Millions of people have been affected after Cyclone Senyar swept through Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, and Cyclone Ditwah battered Sri Lanka and India.

Hundreds of people are still missing, with at least 502 people killed in Indonesia, 334 in Sri Lanka, 170 in Thailand and two in Malaysia, according to authorities.

Indonesia

Rescue teams are still struggling to reach the worst-hit areas after Cyclone Senyar triggered devastating landslides and flooding.

Parts of Sumatra were still cut off on Monday, with damaged roads and downed communications leaving residents dependent on air-dropped supplies.

Flooding has displaced 290,700 people across North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.

People walk down the embankment of a river to take a boat ride across after a bridge nearby collapsed during a flood in Bireun. / Credit: AP

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to rebuild damaged infrastructure during a visit to flood and landslide zones on Sumatra Island, where thousands have been left homeless, and 508 people remain missing.

Subianto said the government’s response was to reach out to those in need.

“We need to confront climate change effectively,” Prabowo told reporters after visiting survivors.

People carry their belongings as they wade through the water at a flooded village in Bireun, Aceh province, Indonesia. / Credit: AP

“Local governments must take a significant role in safeguarding the environment and preparing for the extreme weather conditions that will arise from future climate change.”

Thailand

Severe flooding in 12 provinces in southern Thailand has affected more than 1.4 million households and 3.8 million people, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Hat Yai city was worst-hit, recording rainfall seen only once every 300 years, officials said.

Floodwaters rose above eight feet last Tuesday, cutting off access to a maternity ward caring for 30 newborns and their staff.

Volunteers move rolls of fabric damaged from floods in Songkhla province, southern Thailand. / Credit: AP

Power has yet to be restored, and the timing remains unclear, although agencies have carried out evacuations and delivered medical aid and essential supplies.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday announced recovery and compensation plans for the area.

Sri Lanka

More than half a million people were hit by Cyclone Ditwah, which triggered mudslides and flooding on Friday.

Sri Lankan officials said on Monday that rescuers are still searching for 370 people who are missing.

Nearly 148,000 people have taken shelter in temporary camps, and more than 25,000 homes have been destroyed after a week of heavy rain.

Landslide survivors cross a section of a road that is blocked by debris in Hanguranketha, Sri Lanka. / Credit: AP

Around 191 people remain unaccounted for, and many homes in low-lying areas near the capital, Colombo, are still underwater and without power, authorities said.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, two people were confirmed dead after Senyar, then a tropical storm, made landfall shortly after midnight on Friday.

Scientists have warned that Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, is among the regions most vulnerable to climate change.

Meteorologists say the current extreme weather may be driven by the interaction of two active systems: Typhoon Koto in the Philippines and the unusual formation of Cyclone Senyar in the Malacca Strait.