Severe floods, landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka leave thousands dead

(MENAFN) Extreme weather events across South and Southeast Asia have triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides, leaving more than 2,000 people dead or unaccounted for by Saturday, according to official figures. Nearly four million residents across the region have been affected by the disasters.

A combination of record-breaking floods, landslides, powerful storms, and cyclones has caused extensive destruction, with Indonesia bearing the greatest impact, followed closely by Sri Lanka.

According to authorities, Indonesia has reported 995 confirmed deaths and 226 people still missing on the island of Sumatra, while more than 5,000 others have suffered injuries as emergency teams continue rescue and recovery efforts. The worst-hit areas include North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh, where floods and landslides have disrupted the lives of over 3.2 million people.

In Sri Lanka, officials said fatalities linked to Cyclone Ditwah have climbed to 640, with 211 individuals yet to be located since the storm made landfall on November 17. The disaster has affected more than 1.6 million residents and damaged approximately 110,000 homes, including over 5,700 that were completely destroyed.

Elsewhere in the region, reports indicate that severe weather in southern Thailand has resulted in at least 185 deaths, while 367 people remain missing. Additional casualties have been reported in neighboring countries, with four deaths in India and three in Malaysia as storms and flooding continued to batter the region.

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