Ditwah has been labeled as Sri Lanka’s worst natural disaster in decades and a state of emergency has been declared. More than a million people were thought to be affected: more than 460 people died, hundreds are missing and some 30,000 homes were damaged.
People in flooded Pidie Jaya, Indonesia, say they are largely battling the mud alone. Source: SBS news / Claudia Farhart
Indonesia was hit particularly hard. Indonesia had more than 700 dead, at least another 500 reported missing and well over a million people displaced.
“I have been living here since I was a child. I was born here. My heart feels broken. Even my eyes can’t cry anymore. I have lost everything,” said Junita Sari, a resident of Pidie Jaya.
Families have ‘nothing left’, locals say
Authorities have sent excavators to help clear main streets of mud, but entering and repairing houses will be a challenge.
‘I don’t think we can just evacuate this house. We’re going to need more help.’
In some flooded parts of Indonesia, mud is as high as people’s roofs. Source: SBS news / Claudia Farhart
Another resident, Edi Asra, said it is difficult to speak without crying, and estimates the cleanup could take a whole year.
“We can’t imagine how much, how long – maybe three months, maybe six months, maybe a year,” Asra said.
Authorities have sent excavators to help clear main streets in the Indonesian town of Pidie Jaya in Aceh province, but reaching and repairing homes remains a challenge. Credit: Xinhua News Agency via Getty
Others, like Muhammad Daud, worry about finances.
‘Maybe I can’t vacate this house. But to buy a new house we don’t have money,” Daud said.
Advice to travelers as foreign aid expanded
As Sri Lanka continues to feel the effects of Cyclone Ditwah, with flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage affecting roads, railways and essential services.
The local community has set a goal to clean their mosque in time for this week’s Friday prayers. Source: SBS news / Claudia Farhart
“Check local conditions with local authorities or your travel provider before making plans to travel by road or rail,” the website says.
This comes as the Australian government has committed a further $5 million to the Indo-Pacific region in response to recent extreme weather events such as cyclones and floods, bringing total aid since October to more than $14 million.
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