The death toll from the devastating flooding in Asia has surpassed 1,200, with storms and cyclones battering Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and bringing their heaviest rainfall in decades.
Hundreds of people have been reported missing since floods and landslides first struck last week, affecting millions across Southeast Asia, killing at least 659 in Indonesia, 390 in Sri Lanka and 181 in Thailand, authorities said on Tuesday.
The flooding was triggered by the exceptionally rare Cyclone Senyar sweeping through Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and the powerful Cyclone Ditwah pounding Sri Lanka and India.
In Indonesia, the hardest hit by the disaster, the death toll jumped to 659 on Tuesday, up from 440 over the weekend, the head of the disaster mitigation agency said. Some 475 people remained missing.
Rescuers were struggling to reach villages on the island of Sumatra, where thousands of people were still stranded after the floods washed out roads and collapsed bridges.
Helicopters and boats had been deployed, but officials said worsening weather and damaged infrastructure were slowing operations.
President Prabowo Subianto pledged to rebuild the infrastructure while visiting the affected areas on Sumatra.
“We need to confront climate change effectively,” he added. “Local governments must take a significant role in safeguarding the environment and preparing for the extreme weather conditions that will arise from future climate change.”