• Indonesia reports 593 deaths and 468 missing, while Sri Lanka records 355 deaths and 366 missing

ANKARA

Severe weather continues to batter at least four countries in South and Southeast Asia, with more than 1,000 people dead and around 834 missing amid continued search and rescue operations, according to data shared by local governments.

Unprecedented floods, landslides, storms and cyclones have wreaked havoc across Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand and authorities are racing against time to rescue stranded communities, provide emergency aid, and assess the widespread destruction.

In Indonesia, the National Disaster Management Agency reported that floods and landslides in Sumatra alone have claimed 593 lives, with 468 people still missing.

North Sumatra has recorded 217 fatalities and 209 missing, while in West Sumatra, there have been 129 deaths and 118 people still missing, and in Aceh province, 96 are dead with 75 unaccounted for.

Hundreds of houses have been damaged, 1.1 million people affected, and more than 290,000 displaced, while search and rescue teams continue operations for missing people in different areas.

President Prabowo Subianto visited the affected regions on Monday and ordered the deployment of all national forces — including the military — to accelerate emergency response.

Prabowo is under pressure to declare a national emergency; however, he said the worst has passed and that the government’s priority was to swiftly deliver aid to those affected.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued fresh heavy-rain warnings on Monday across major cities, including Sumatra.

The disaster is the country’s deadliest since 2018, when a massive earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi killed more than 2,000 people.

Sri Lanka deploys military

Sri Lanka has deployed the military to support search, rescue and relief efforts as the devastating Cyclone Ditwah has battered the island since Nov. 17, leaving 355 people dead and 366 missing.

Officials say 1.12 million people from more than 309,607 families have been affected, while relief centers are providing shelter to 180,499 displaced individuals.

On Saturday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake declared a state of emergency and appealed for international assistance in response to the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

So far, China has pledged $100,000, Nepal $200,000, Australia $650,000 and the Maldives $50,000, while an 80-member Indian relief team is already on the ground.

Japan and Bangladesh are also dispatching relief teams to the island nation.

Authorities have suspended all academic activities in universities and schools until Dec. 8.

A Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter crashed during relief operations on Sunday and all crew members survived.

Thailand grappling with worst flooding in 25 years

Southern Thailand is grappling with its worst flooding in 25 years, with around 170 people reported dead. The worst-hit Songkhla province alone accounts for 126 fatalities.

Floodwaters have affected 105 districts across nine provinces, impacting 1.16 million households and nearly three million people.

Hat Yai, the largest city in Songkhla province, recorded 335 mm of rain last Friday, the highest single-day total in 300 years.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has already declared a state of emergency in Songkhla and pledged compensation for victims, while emergency teams deliver food, water, mobile kitchens, and rescue boats.

On Monday, Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn also announced he would provide 20,000 baht ($620) in personal funds to each family of those killed in the floods.

In Malaysia, floods also hit seven states near the Thailand border, killing three people and affecting thousands of others. However, the situation there has improved as the waters receded.