Sri Lanka floods: 123 dead and 130 missing after Cyclone Ditwah
Sri Lanka has witnessed a horrific humanitarian disaster in the past few days, as the death toll from the violent floods and mudslides caused by Cyclone Detwah and heavy monsoon rains has risen to 123, while 130 people are still missing, amid fears that the chances of finding survivors are diminishing as time goes on.
Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre announced in an official statement that the disaster has displaced about 44,000 people who were forced to leave their homes, which were flooded or destroyed by landslides. They are currently staying in temporary shelters and accommodation centers that lack many basic necessities. The statement also indicated that the death toll is expected to rise as search operations continue under the rubble and in isolated areas.
Disaster spread to Southeast Asia
This wave of severe weather was not confined to Sri Lanka; devastating floods and landslides have claimed hundreds of lives across large swaths of South and Southeast Asia. Extensive cleanup and debris removal operations began on Saturday, alongside intensive search and rescue efforts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, all of which were affected by the deep low-pressure systems.
In Indonesia, rescue workers are making strenuous efforts to reach the worst-affected areas, particularly on the island of Sumatra, where more than 240 people remain missing. According to the latest figures from the Indonesian disaster management agency, the death toll there has risen to over 300, making it one of the worst natural disasters to hit the region this year.
Climate context and rescue challenges
These floods come as part of the annual monsoon season that affects South Asian countries, but the intensity of the rainfall this week was exceptional, with torrential downpours across vast areas, creating devastating flash floods. This has destroyed infrastructure in many villages and cut off main roads, making it difficult for relief teams to reach those stranded, some of whom have taken shelter on rooftops awaiting assistance.
Meteorologists believe that global climate change is playing an increasing role in exacerbating extreme weather phenomena in the region, with cyclones and monsoons becoming more destructive and violent, posing enormous challenges to local governments in terms of disaster response and developing resilient infrastructure.
Authorities in the affected countries now face post-disaster challenges, which include securing food and clean water for displaced people to prevent outbreaks of waterborne diseases, as well as the enormous economic cost of rebuilding the devastated areas.
