Southeast Asia faces catastrophic floods as tropical storm kills 600 hundred

A tropical storm sweeping through Southeast Asia has killed at least 600 people across three countries, triggering severe floods and landslides that have displaced tens of thousands.

Heavy rains caused by a rare tropical storm hit parts of Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia this week. The storm formed in the Malacca Strait, the narrow stretch of water between Sumatra and the neighbouring countries.

Reports indicate that Indonesia has been the hardest hit, with the death toll rising to 435 on Sunday, up from 303 on Saturday.

According to Reuters, officials are still collecting reports from the three provinces in Sumatra that have been most affected by the storm.

Landslides and floods have also swept through towns, blocking roads and leaving many communities cut off. Approximately 3.5 million people have been affected by the storm.

Rescue teams are using helicopters to deliver food and supplies to stranded residents, while damaged telecom networks have made communication difficult. Additional reports indicate that, in some areas of Sumatra, desperation has led to incidents of looting.

"The looting happened before logistical aid arrived," police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan said, according to AP.

"(Residents) didn't know that aid would come and were worried they would starve."

According to Indonesian authorities, around 406 people are still unaccounted for, while roughly 213,000 have been forced to leave their homes.

Southern Thailand has also been affected by the storm, with at least 170 deaths reported and more than 100 injuries recorded, mostly in Songkhla Province. Similarly, Hat Yai city received 335 millimetres of rain in one day—the most in 300 years—after days of heavy rainfall.

Malaysia has reported three deaths and around 18,700 people taking shelter in evacuation centres after heavy rain and strong winds.

However, storm warnings in the country have now been lifted, with authorities helping over 6,200 Malaysians who were stranded in Thailand.

"The situation has improved significantly. Water levels have almost completely receded, with only some areas remaining flooded," a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, a separate storm, Cyclone Ditwah, also hit Sri Lanka last week, with heavy rains now moving towards southern India.

More than 25,000 homes have been destroyed, and around 147,000 people have been moved into temporary shelters.

Other Topics To Read

• Asia
• Indonesia
• floods
• Malaysia
• Landslides
• Thailand
• Tropical storm
• Southeast Asia
• Malacca Strait
• Southeast Asia faces catastrophic floods as tropical storm kills 600 hundred
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