Latest Data: Sumatra Flash Flood, Sri Lanka, Thailand Killed More Than 1,400 People
JAKARTA Several regions in Asia were shaken after heavy rains that triggered flash floods and landslides last week, killing more than 1,400 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia.
This disaster also shows a sharp economic gap in the region.
Reported by the Associated Press, Indonesia bears the heaviest impact, recording at least 753 people dead, followed by Sri Lanka with 465 deaths. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it was too early to determine the exact death toll in his country.
It was reported that 185 people in Thailand and three people in Malaysia were also confirmed dead.
Rescue teams on Wednesday, December 3, are in a race against time to reach isolated communities, as more than 1,000 people are still missing and villages are buried in mud and debris amid continued power outages and telecommunications.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visited the disaster area on Monday, pledging assistance and support for rebuilding even though he has not declared a national state of emergency or seeking international assistance such as his partner in Sri Lanka which was hit by floods.
Indonesia and Thailand, which were badly affected, are both countries with an intermediate income economy with relatively stronger fiscal capacity, capable of mobilizing extensive rescue operations, deploying military assets, and channeling emergency funds, while Sri Lanka responds in much more tense conditions.
Still in the recovery stage from a severe economic crisis, the country faces resource constraints, foreign exchange shortages, and weakening public services, which makes large-scale disaster responses much more difficult and increases its dependence on outside aid.
Authorities in Indonesia, the country worst affected, said damage from heavy rains for days and rare tropical storms that hit the island
Sumatra is the deadliest disaster since the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 4,300 people.