Natural disaster: Death toll in 4 Asian countries exceeds thousand

Large parts of Southeast Asia have been devastated by continuous storms, heavy rainfall and successive landslides. In Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia, the death toll from several weeks of disasters has risen in stages to more than 1,140. Many people remain missing and hundreds of cut-off areas remain unreachable, slowing down rescue efforts.

On Monday, December 1, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited North Sumatra to assess the situation. He said many isolated villages were still inaccessible, but helicopters and aircraft had been deployed to send assistance quickly. Nationwide fatalities from floods and landslides have reached at least 604, with another 464 people missing.

Growing complexity has increased pressure to declare a national emergency. Although the president expressed hope that “the most difficult period has passed,” weather forecasts indicate more heavy rain and thunderstorms in Jakarta and surrounding areas.

To support affected regions, the government has deployed two hospital ships and three naval vessels. With many roads damaged, transportation networks remain crippled. Home affairs minister Tito Karnavian admitted they were not adequately prepared to handle the scale of the disaster. In Sungai Niyalo village, about 100 kilometres from Padang in Sumatra, water has receded but homes and farmland remain buried under mud.

In Sri Lanka, the death toll from floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah has risen to at least 366, with another 367 people missing. Helicopters are being used to rescue stranded people, and the country has appealed for international assistance.

A pilot on a relief mission in Lunuwila, north of Colombo, died during an emergency landing. As water recedes in much of the hardest-hit central region, the full extent of damage is becoming clear. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, declaring a state of emergency, said it was the worst natural disaster in the country’s history. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan have sent assistance for rescue efforts.

In southern Thailand, the death toll from prolonged flooding has risen to at least 176. Public anger has led to the suspension of two local officials accused of negligence.

Save the Children said that 76,000 children have not been able to return to school due to the disaster. Songkhla province suffered the worst damage, with 131 deaths. While services are gradually being restored, many areas still lack clean water and essential supplies.

In Perlis, Malaysia, at least three deaths have been reported following floods caused by heavy rainfall.

Earlier, two rounds of typhoons in the Philippines in November killed 242 people. An unusual tropical storm that struck Sumatra also intensified flooding in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

Experts believe climate change is increasing the frequency of storms and the intensity of rainfall. Alexander Mathew, Asia-Pacific director of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, said countries must immediately strengthen advanced forecasting systems, safe shelters, nature-based protection and disaster-related social safety mechanisms.

Relief and disaster management experts in the region believe that broad international assistance and coordination are urgently needed to deal with the vast humanitarian crisis unfolding across Southeast Asia.