This week, a series of floods in southern and southeastern Asia have already claimed the lives of around 1300 people.
In particular, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand are the three most affected nations, facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Currently, hundreds of people remain missing, and millions have been affected by the severe rains that have ravaged the region since the end of November.
The devastating storm began when three cyclones coincided simultaneously in the region.
This phenomenon capped off a disastrous month that had already brought intense rainfall in the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Experts attribute the exceptional intensity of this tropical storm season to ocean warming.
The devastating impact is linked to factors such as deforestation and the lack of urban planning in the affected areas.
Indonesia: the hardest-hit country by floods in Asia
Indonesia emerges as the most affected country by the floods in Asia, with the highest number of victims.
The National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) of the Asian nation reported this Tuesday nearly 750 deaths and more than 550 missing.
The landslides caused by the rains were concentrated in Sumatra, the second-largest island of the archipelago.
The provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra report the greatest losses.
The Center for Economic and Legal Studies (CELIOS) noted in a report that the “ecological disaster” is triggered by three key points related to poor environmental management:
- Deforestation in the affected region
- The expansion of palm oil plantations
- Uncontrolled mining activities
The economic losses in the affected areas amount to 68.67 trillion rupiahs, equivalent to more than 4 billion US dollars.
In addition to this catastrophe, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Nias, located at the western end of Indonesia, this Tuesday.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 50 kilometers, although authorities did not issue a tsunami warning. So far, no victims are known.
Sri Lanka under health alert
Meanwhile, the floods in Asia also had devastating consequences in Sri Lanka, with more than 400 dead and 336 missing.
Thus, the island nation faces one of the worst episodes of rains in decades.
Specialists also warned of an increased health risk of contracting dengue, diarrhea, and leptospirosis.
Today, contaminated waters and mud cover extensive areas of the country, while several hospitals operate with critical limitations due to power outages.
More than 1.3 million people have been affected by the storm in Sri Lanka.
The number of displaced people in temporary shelters exceeds 200,000, according to the latest report from the nation’s Disaster Management Center (DMC).
Additionally, the Sri Lankan Meteorological Department warned this Tuesday of more rains in the northern and southern provinces.
Authorities are urging the population to take extreme precautions against strong winds and electrical activity.
Thailand begins reconstruction after the floods
As the accumulated water recedes in the 12 provinces of southern Thailand affected by flooding, the country focuses its efforts on clean-up operations.
The official report states 181 people lost their lives due to the floods.
According to the Department for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, nearly four million people have been affected by the storm.
The country is facing multimillion-dollar losses due to the damage caused by the heavy rains.
One of the most devastated provinces is Songkhla, where a total of 140 fatalities were recorded.
Water levels reached, in some areas, three meters in height.
