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 fatalities included at least 604 in Indonesia, 366 in Sri Lanka, and 176 in Thailand.
During his visit to the affected regions, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promised to reconstruct damaged infrastructure. Some areas were inaccessible due to road damage and communication disruptions, forcing residents to rely on air deliveries for supplies.
Indonesia reported 464 missing persons and the displacement of 290,700 individuals in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces. Prabowo emphasized the urgent need to address climate change and urged local authorities to play a crucial role in environmental protection and preparedness for future extreme weather events.
In Sri Lanka, rescuers were still searching for 367 missing individuals, with around 218,000 people seeking shelter after being impacted by landslides caused by heavy rainfall, particularly in the central hill country.
Thailand began distributing initial compensation payments amounting to 239 million baht ($10.9 million Cdn.) to 26,000 individuals on Monday, with government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat confirming the efforts to restore essential services in the flood-affected southern regions, where 3.9 million people were severely impacted.
Prabowo assured that the government’s relief efforts were effectively reaching those in need, as he visited North Sumatra and planned visits to West Sumatra and Aceh on the same day.
“We must address climate change proactively,” Prabowo emphasized to the press following his interactions with survivors. “Local governments must play a vital role in protecting the environment and preparing for the severe weather conditions resulting from future climate changes.”
