A humanitarian disaster is rapidly deepening in four Asian countries due to continuous storms, floods and landslides. More than 900 people have died in the past week in Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Sri Lanka; many more are missing. US media outlet CNN reported these data.
The Indonesian island of Sumatra is the worst-hit. The death toll from Cyclone Senya has risen to 435; at least 406 people are missing. Floods and landslides have cut off many areas. The army is delivering relief by helicopter as roads and communications have collapsed. Food shortages have been reported in many areas, and looting has also occurred in some places.
Thailand’s disaster management department has confirmed 162 deaths in southern Thailand, with more than 3.5 million people affected. Local authorities said the water had begun to recede, although power and mobile networks were disrupted.
Cyclone Ditwah has killed 334 people in Sri Lanka due to floods and landslides. More than 25,000 houses have been destroyed and at least 147,000 people have been displaced. The government declared a nationwide state of emergency on Saturday to control the situation.
Two people died in the same storm that hit the Malaysian coast; nearly 34,000 people were displaced.
All four countries are now awaiting extensive humanitarian assistance in this series of unusual weather disasters.