Floods and landslides in Indonesia and Sri Lanka have killed over 1,500 people, with severe shortages of aid and billions needed for reconstruction
JAKARTA: Hardships are mounting in Indonesia and Sri Lanka as the death toll from catastrophic floods and landslides continues to rise.
Officials in flood-hit parts of Indonesia reported severe shortages of food, shelter, and medicine on Monday.
The national disaster agency said 950 people had been killed in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra provinces, with 274 others still missing.
“Everything is lacking, especially medical personnel. We are short on doctors,” Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf told reporters.
“Basic necessities are also important. It’s not just one or two items.”
The weeks of heavy rain and subsequent landslides have injured at least 5,000 people and devastated critical infrastructure.
Hospitals, schools, and offices are in ruins, while many destroyed bridges have cut off communities.
The agency estimated reconstruction costs could reach 51.82 trillion rupiah (USD 3.1 billion).
In Sri Lanka, the military deployed thousands of extra troops to aid recovery efforts after Cyclone Ditwah.
The cyclone has killed 627 people, making it the island’s worst this century.
More than two million people, nearly 10% of the population, have been affected by the disaster.
Army chief Lasantha Rodrigo said 38,500 security personnel were now deployed, nearly doubling the initial force.
“Since the disaster, security forces have been able to rescue 31,116 people who were in distress,” Rodrigo stated.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake unveiled a recovery package offering 10 million rupees (USD 33,000) per victim to buy land and rebuild.
The government, still recovering from a 2022 economic crisis, has appealed for foreign assistance to fund reconstruction.
In Indonesia’s Banda Aceh, long queues formed for drinking water and fuel as prices for basic commodities skyrocketed.
Seasonal monsoon rains are a feature of life in the regions, but climate change is making them more erratic and deadly. – AFP
