Asia overwhelmed by deadly floods as rescuers rush to help stranded communities

• Sri Lanka counts over 1.4M affected, 410 killed, 336 missing
• In Thailand, flooding kills 176 as more than 2M people affected

ISTANBUL

Authorities across Southeast Asia are racing against time to deliver aid and reach the stranded as floods and landslides continue to devastate Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia, displacing millions and leaving a mounting death toll.

In Indonesia, at least 744 people have died and 551 remain missing, according to the National Disaster Management Agency, which says more than 1.1 million people are displaced and 3.3 million affected.

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said Tuesday that aid delivery remains extremely challenging, with washed-out roads and isolated communities requiring air support.

Relief aid continues to reach various parts of Sumatra, with authorities providing food, medical supplies, and essential goods, as teams work to restore power and reopen major roads.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency says it has more than Rp 500 billion ($30 million) immediately available for relief operations, according to state-run Antara news agency.

Aid delivery continues for over 200,000 displaced Sri Lankans

In Sri Lanka, struck by Cyclone Ditwah on Nov. 17, more than 1.4 million people – including at least 275,000 children – have been affected, UNICEF said Tuesday.

The death toll has climbed past 400, while 336 people remain missing. More than 20,000 homes have been partially damaged and nearly 600 completely destroyed.

Military units have been deployed nationwide for search and rescue, and authorities on Monday airlifted 21 foreign nationals stranded by floodwaters in the central province.

Volunteers from across the country are also pouring in to help.

International support is also accelerating. Japan and Bangladesh are sending relief teams, while an 80-member Indian disaster team is already on the ground. China, Nepal, Australia, the Maldives, and the UK have also pledged funds to help with disaster relief.

The Maldives also held a 30-hour telethon, raising $800,000 for Sri Lanka’s relief effort.

Medical authorities have warned the public to remain vigilant for leptospirosis (rat fever) due to floodwater exposure.

In India’s southeastern Tamil Nadu state, four people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents as Cyclone Ditwah continued to hover near the state's coast, bringing heavy rainfall, authorities said on Tuesday.

According to NDTV, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister of Tamil Nadu state KKSSR Ramachandran made the remarks on Tuesday, adding that the cyclone left thousands of properties damaged, with relief efforts underway.

⁠Floodwaters affect 2 million, as floodwaters recede in Thailand

In Thailand, more than 2 million people across nine provinces remain affected even as floodwaters begin to recede after what officials say was the country’s worst flooding in 25 years, according to The Nation.

Around 176 people have been confirmed dead.

The military and volunteers have been dispatched to the worst-hit Songkhla province, where Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has declared a state of emergency.

The government has also approved a 327-billion baht ($10.2-billion) relief package to help small and medium-sized businesses recover.

In Malaysia, the situation is improving as the waters recede, after killing three and affecting thousands during the floods in the seven states near the border with Thailand.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged RM500 million ($121 million) for urgent infrastructure repairs.