Hundreds of People Left Dead By Raging Floods Across South Asia

Hundreds of people are dead and hundreds of others are missing after devastating floods hit multiple countries across south and southeast Asia this week.

At least 350 people have died in Indonesia alone, where heavy rain battered the island of Sumatra. 279 others are missing, and around 3,500 police officers are aiding in the country's aid response and search-and-rescue operations. Over 80,000 people have been evacuated across Sumatra, an island known for its incredible biodiversity and lush rainforests.

Monsoons swept away entire villages, destroying roads and homes, but continuous rainy conditions prevented authorities from beginning recovery operations until yesterday, when the Indonesian government initiated cloud-seeding to redirect the rainfall to another region. Additionally, the flooding has stopped officials from bringing heavy machinery to the area, forcing locals to dig through mud with simple tools and utilize rubber boats or wooden rafts to move around from place to place.

Meanwhile, the monsoons have also heavily impacted the mainland region of southeast Asia, slamming Thailand and Vietnam with heavy rain and strong winds. In Thailand, millions of people have been affected, with up to 10 feet of rain falling in some areas. At least 162 people have been killed, and thousands of buildings have been inundated or completely washed away.

Officials are also facing intense scrutiny for their slow response to the disaster, leaving people stranded on rooftops and in trees. Others complained about the lack of security after the flooding occurred– various stores were looted, incurring hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages for many storeowners.

Vietnam, on the other hand, experienced heavy rain when the monsoons arrived, and is set to suffer from more intense rainfall in the coming days. Over the last two weeks, over 100 people have been left dead or missing due to heavy rains across the Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Khanh Hoa, and Lam Dong provinces, and over 272,000 homes were submerged in the process.

Now, the country is already feeling the impact of the incoming Tropical Storm Koto, which is packing winds of 60 mph and generating strong waves near the Vietnamese coast. At least three people have been killed after two fishing boats sank in rough seas.

Malaysia was also affected, with heavy rain in the tiny northernmost state of Perlis killing two people.

Lastly, Sri Lanka has been heavily affected by Cyclone Ditwah, which crossed the island country with 40-mph-winds and raging rainfall. Hundreds of people were left stuck on rooftops, and over 150 people have been confirmed dead. Many people remain stranded in high-rises or other buildings with no food or water, trapped by the rising floodwaters around them.

Roads have also been washed away and highways remain blocked after landslides in the mountains, preventing authorities from sending aid by truck, and communications have been impacted in many regions. Over 400,000 people have been affected, and around 25% of Sri Lanka's population is without electricity.

India and the United States have sent aid to Sri Lanka to help with the disaster recovery, but officials fear that the death toll could significantly rise as they work to uncover more bodies and search for any possible survivors.

Unfortunately, monsoons and tropical storms continue to worsen as climate change intensifies, leading to more unpredictable, stronger storms in tropical regions. Monsoon season runs between June and November depending on the location, but climate change has led to a more erratic, intense pattern with heavier rainfall at random times and large droughts during others.

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Image credit to Reuters