More than 800 individuals were unaccounted for as of Monday following catastrophic floods that resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand last week. The toll included 604 fatalities in Indonesia, 366 in Sri Lanka, and 176 in Thailand.
During his visit to affected regions, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promised to reconstruct damaged infrastructure. Some areas remained inaccessible due to road destruction and communication outages, prompting residents to rely on air deliveries for essential supplies.
The National Disaster Management Agency reported that at least 464 individuals were missing in Indonesia, with 290,700 people displaced across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces.
In an address to the media, Prabowo emphasized the need for effective action against climate change, calling on local governments to play a crucial role in environmental preservation and readiness for future extreme weather events.
Rescue efforts were ongoing in Sri Lanka, where 367 individuals were still missing, and approximately 218,000 people sought refuge in temporary shelters following severe rainfall and resulting landslides, particularly in the central hill country.
In Thailand, the government began distributing compensation payments on Monday, starting with 239 million baht ($10.9 million Cdn.) for 26,000 affected individuals, aiming to restore infrastructure, including water and electricity, in the heavily impacted southern region, where 3.9 million people were affected by flooding.
Prabowo assured that the government’s relief efforts were reaching those in need, having visited North Sumatra and planning visits to West Sumatra and Aceh. He reiterated the importance of addressing climate change and the role of local authorities in environmental protection and preparedness for future climate challenges.
