More than 900 people have lost their lives in devastating floods and landslides across South Asia, prompting authorities to scramble for aid and rescue efforts. The heavy monsoon rains, exacerbated by a tropical storm, have overwhelmed parts of the region, leaving thousands without shelter or critical supplies.
In Sri Lanka, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen sharply to 334, with many more still missing. Low-lying areas in Colombo, including the capital city's suburbs, are under water due to the powerful cyclone that brought heavy rains and triggered mudslides. Nearly 148,000 people have been displaced and are housed in temporary shelters.
In Indonesia, over 442 people have died, while hundreds more are missing after thousands were stranded without critical supplies on Sumatra island. Residents told of fleeing their homes as water rose up into their houses, only to return later to find them destroyed.
Thailand has also suffered greatly from the floods, with at least 162 people killed in one of the worst flood disasters in a decade. The Thai government has rolled out relief measures, including compensation for households that lost family members, but there have been growing public criticisms of the response.
The climate crisis is believed to be exacerbating storm patterns and extreme weather events, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding, and stronger wind gusts. Cyclone Ditwah is expected to move towards India's southern coast on Sunday, while tropical storms are becoming more frequent in recent years due to rising global temperatures.
Rescue efforts are being hindered by the difficulty of accessing some areas, with looting reported in affected regions. The weather conditions and lack of heavy equipment have also hampered rescue work, with aid slow to reach the hardest-hit city of Sibolga and Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra.
As the death toll rises, governments are pledging support for relief efforts, including international assistance. However, the full extent of the damage is only just being revealed as relief workers clear roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides.
In Sri Lanka, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen sharply to 334, with many more still missing. Low-lying areas in Colombo, including the capital city's suburbs, are under water due to the powerful cyclone that brought heavy rains and triggered mudslides. Nearly 148,000 people have been displaced and are housed in temporary shelters.
In Indonesia, over 442 people have died, while hundreds more are missing after thousands were stranded without critical supplies on Sumatra island. Residents told of fleeing their homes as water rose up into their houses, only to return later to find them destroyed.
Thailand has also suffered greatly from the floods, with at least 162 people killed in one of the worst flood disasters in a decade. The Thai government has rolled out relief measures, including compensation for households that lost family members, but there have been growing public criticisms of the response.
The climate crisis is believed to be exacerbating storm patterns and extreme weather events, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding, and stronger wind gusts. Cyclone Ditwah is expected to move towards India's southern coast on Sunday, while tropical storms are becoming more frequent in recent years due to rising global temperatures.
Rescue efforts are being hindered by the difficulty of accessing some areas, with looting reported in affected regions. The weather conditions and lack of heavy equipment have also hampered rescue work, with aid slow to reach the hardest-hit city of Sibolga and Central Tapanuli district in North Sumatra.
As the death toll rises, governments are pledging support for relief efforts, including international assistance. However, the full extent of the damage is only just being revealed as relief workers clear roads blocked by fallen trees and mudslides.
. Like, I get it, monsoons are a thing in South Asia, but 900+ people dead? That's just devastating 
. And to think, the climate crisis is basically making these disasters worse... like, we should've done something about global warming ages ago 
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. And can you believe Thailand's response is getting criticized? Like, I get it, not everyone's gonna handle a disaster perfectly, but come on... 
. And the part about looting in affected regions? That's just a whole other level of messed up 
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. We need to support these countries and their people during this super tough time 
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This is devastating... 900+ lives lost already, and it's still raining. Climate crisis is no joke. We're living in a world where natural disasters are becoming more frequent & intense. It's like the Earth is crying out for help 
. I'm not sure what can be done to stop it, but we gotta try to reduce our carbon footprint or whatever way we can 
. These people in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand... they're fighting for their lives and all we can do is hope the international community steps up with aid & support. It's heartbreaking to see families losing everything 
It's like people forget that there are actual people suffering over here.
floods & landslides r gettin worse n worse in south asia i think clima crisis is a big part of it, we need 2 take care of our planet before its 2 late 
dont no about cyclone ditwah but soundz like its a big deal in sri lanka & indonesia. u would think ppl wud b more prepared 4 sumethin like this but i guess not 
the climate crisis is real, folks, it's not just some distant issue, it's hitting home hard right now 
I think governments need to step up their game with emergency funding & resources, ASAP 
and international aid is a must too... we can't rely on one country or organization to save the day 
. And poor Indonesia, they're already dealing with so much stuff on Sumatra island... I hope the rescue efforts pick up soon 
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. But seriously, it feels like they're playing catch-up and not doing enough to prevent these kinds of disasters in the first place