Khaberni - The death toll from floods and landslides in southern and southeastern Asia has reached around 500, with cleanup, search and rescue operations beginning in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia this Saturday.
Heavy monsoon rains have flooded vast areas of these countries this week, resulting in hundreds of deaths and leaving thousands stranded, many on rooftops waiting for rescue.
Rescue teams in Indonesia are making strenuous efforts to reach the most affected areas on the island of Sumatra, where more than 100 people are still missing.
Floods and landslides in Indonesia have killed more than 300 people, according to disaster authority figures, amid fears that the death toll may rise.
The spokesperson for the regional disaster mitigation agency in West Sumatra, Ilham Wahab, said late Friday, "Up until this night, 61 deaths have been recorded, and the search continues for 90," following an earlier toll of 23 deaths in the province.
The head of the national disaster agency, Sohariantio, told a press conference that cloud seeding operations had begun in West Sumatra to reduce rainfall, which had mostly subsided by Saturday.
Millions affected in Thailand
The spokesperson for the government of Thailand, Siripong Angkasakulkiet, in a press conference in Bangkok, stated that 162 deaths have been confirmed in eight provinces, particularly in Songkhla province, where 126 deaths were recorded.
The disaster prevention and mitigation department reported that more than 1.4 million families and 3.8 million people were affected by the floods resulting from heavy rain in 12 southern provinces.
It added that water levels had begun to recede across the affected provinces early this Saturday.
Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, acknowledged to reporters that the government had failed in managing the flood response. He said that when he visited the affected areas, he apologized to the residents "that the government had failed to take care of and protect them."
He stated that the government would begin distributing compensations to those affected by the floods next week. He also outlined additional relief measures, including debt suspension and providing short-term, interest-free loans for businesses to repair homes.
The extended monsoon season, lasting from June/June to September/September, results in heavy rainfall leading to landslides, floods, and waterborne diseases.
In Sri Lanka, the death toll from floods and landslides has risen to 56 due to the rains. Officials reported that the Sri Lankan authorities had closed government offices and schools as the death toll increased and more than 600 homes were damaged.
The floods also submerged many agricultural fields and major roads, while the authorities deployed their military forces to participate in relief and rescue operations.
The Malaysian disaster management authority announced the evacuation of more than 37 people in nine states, with the northern states bordering Thailand being the most affected.
