The death toll from devastating floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand has surpassed 1,100, with military personnel deployed in the worst-hit areas. In Indonesia, at least 604 people have been killed and 464 remain missing, according to the national disaster agency. The provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have been hardest hit, with thousands isolated without vital supplies.
Public anger is mounting over what many see as an ill-prepared government response and sluggish delivery of food aid, blamed on bureaucratic hurdles. President Prabowo Subianto said earlier today that “the worst has passed, hopefully,” but pressure is growing for a national emergency declaration.
In Sri Lanka, the government has called for international aid and used military helicopters to reach people stranded by flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah. At least 355 people have been killed, with 366 still missing. In Thailand, over 170 people have died, with the southern province of Songkhla hardest hit. Severe disruptions have left thousands stranded, with streets impassable and buildings submerged.
Save the Children reports that tens of thousands of children are out of school in Indonesia and Thailand. At least 1,000 schools have been damaged and closed in Aceh alone, with some being used as emergency shelters. In southern Thailand, about 76,000 children are out of school, with power cuts and damaged infrastructure preventing online learning.
In Malaysia, at least three deaths have been reported across eight states, though floods in Negeri Sembilan have fully receded. About 11,600 people remain in evacuation centres, with authorities on alert for further flooding. On Sumatra, images show people scrambling for food and medicine amid flooding, with looting reported in some areas.
