Post by : Meena
Hassan
Rescue teams in Indonesia and Sri Lanka are urgently working to assist victims in remote areas affected by catastrophic floods and landslides, where the death toll has exceeded 1,300 across four nations.
Survivor frustration mounts in Indonesia due to the sluggish pace of rescue and aid distribution. Humanitarian organizations label this disaster as unprecedented for a country often struck by calamities.
Record rainfall has resulted from heavy monsoon conditions and two unusual tropical storms impacting Sri Lanka, Sumatra in Indonesia, southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia. Reports confirm 753 deaths in Indonesia, with an additional 650 individuals unaccounted for.
Ade Soekadis, executive director of Mercy Corps Indonesia, commented, “The scale of the damage and the affected area is massive. Worrying reports of food and water shortages are emerging, and conditions may deteriorate further.”
At an evacuation center in Padan, survivor Reinaro Waruwu shared his harrowing experience: “It felt like an earthquake,” he recounted while describing neighbors trapped under debris. The delayed arrival of assistance has left many stranded without immediate support.
Nearby, Hamida Telaumbaunua, 37, expressed her sorrow over losing her home to the floods, stating, “This is the first time I’ve encountered such a disaster. It’s challenging to ponder the future.”
Thailand also faced severe weather repercussions, resulting in at least 176 fatalities, while Malaysia reported two dead.
In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah unleashed destructive floods and landslides last week, claiming a minimum of 465 lives and leaving 366 missing. Reconstruction costs are estimated to reach $7 billion, with over 1.5 million people affected and more than 200,000 now in emergency shelters.
Despite the ongoing disaster, Sri Lanka greeted a luxury cruise liner at Colombo port, highlighting its commitment to being “safe, open, and ready to welcome tourists,” as stated by the national tourism board.
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