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More than 1,300 people died in floods in Asia, as deforestation was partly to blame for the disaster
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More than 1,300 people died in floods in Asia, as deforestation was partly to blame for the disaster

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Emergency services are rushing to reach survivors as more than 1,300 people have been killed by catastrophic floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand – and almost 1,000 people are missing.
Days of heavy monsoon rains flooded vast areas, leaving thousands stranded and many clinging to roofs and trees as they waited for help.
The floods and landslides killed at least 1,303 people, with 753 confirmed deaths in Indonesia, 410 in Sri Lanka and 181 in Thailand, officials said.
In Indonesia, the worst-hit country, rescuers struggled to access villages on the island of Sumatra, where roads have been washed away and bridges have collapsed.

At least 650 people are still missing, according to the country’s National Disaster Management Agency.

Rescue workers are recovering the bodies of flood victims in Tanah Datar in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Source: Anadolu, Getty / Adi fine

Helicopters and boats have been deployed, but officials warn that worsening weather and damaged infrastructure are slowing activities.

Floods and landslides in North Sumatra have carried away millions of cubic meters of felled timber, officials said, raising public concerns that illegal logging may have contributed to the disaster.

Batang Toru, the lush forested area, has turned into a wasteland of broken tree trunks and shattered houses. Roads have disappeared and been replaced by rivers of silt.

Rianda Purba of the activist group Indonesian Environmental Forum said: “This is not just a natural disaster, it is a man-made crisis.”

“Deforestation and uncontrolled development have robbed Batang Toru of its resilience. Without urgent rehabilitation and stronger protection, these floods will become the new normal,” he said.

The worst disaster in Sri Lanka in recent years

Military-led rescue teams in Sri Lanka have been scouring flood-ravaged areas in search of 336 people still missing in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, the Disaster Management Center said.
Roads have been blocked by landslides and bridges have collapsed, making access difficult.

In Kandy, residents struggled without running water, instead relying on bottled water from natural springs. Authorities warned that conditions could worsen as more rain is forecast in the coming days.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the disaster as the worst to hit the country in recent history and said it remains impossible to determine the full extent of the casualties.
He warned that the number of victims is likely much higher than current figures.
He said government agencies were working to reach isolated communities.
Clearing streets and buildings have begun in southern Thailand after massive flooding affected more than 1.5 million households and 3.9 million people.
Authorities are working to restore infrastructure, including water and electricity.
– With additional reporting by news agency PA Media via Australian Associated Press

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