Hundreds unaccounted for and deceased in flooding throughout South East Asia

Hundreds are either confirmed dead or missing in Southeast Asia, where some of the most substantial rains in years have impacted the area.

Monsoon rains intensified by tropical storms have resulted in some of the worst floods in years, displacing millions in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

On Indonesia’s Sumatra island, the death count has surpassed 300, with concerns that it could rise further as many are unaccounted for.

Evacuation operations are ongoing, with key roads blocked and both internet and electricity only partially functional.

As of Saturday, Thailand reported 160 fatalities. Various deaths were also noted in Malaysia.

A highly unusual tropical cyclone, identified as Cyclone Senyar, has led to devastating landslides and floods in Indonesia, with homes washed away and thousands of buildings inundated.

“The current was extremely swift, within seconds it reached the streets and flooded the houses,” recounted a resident from Aceh Province in Indonesia, Arini Amalia, to the BBC.

She and her grandmother hurried to a relative’s home on elevated ground. Upon returning the next day to collect belongings, she remarked that the flood had entirely engulfed their house: “It’s completely gone.”

After the waters surged in West Sumatra and flooded his residence, Meri Osman stated he was “carried away by the current” and held onto a clothesline until help arrived.

“During the flood, everything was lost,” shared a resident of Bireuen in Aceh Province to the Reuters news agency. “I attempted to save my clothing, but my home collapsed.”

The adverse weather has complicated rescue missions, and while thousands have been evacuated, hundreds remain stranded, according to the Indonesian disaster agency.

In Tapanuli, the most severely affected region, reports indicate that residents have raided grocery stores in search of sustenance.

There is increasing pressure on Jakarta to declare a national emergency in Sumatra for a quicker and more organized response.

In Thailand’s southern Songkhla province, water levels surged to 3m (10ft), resulting in at least 145 fatalities in one of the worst floods this decade.

Throughout the 10 provinces affected by flooding, over 160 lives have been lost, the government reported on Saturday. More than 3.8 million individuals have been impacted.

The city of Hat Yai recorded 335mm of rainfall in just one day, the heaviest downpour in 300 years. As the waters receded, officials noted a substantial increase in the death toll.

At one hospital in Hat Yai, staff had to transfer bodies to refrigerated trucks due to the morgue being overwhelmed, as reported by the AFP news agency.

“We were trapped in the water for seven days without any agency coming to assist,” shared Hat Yai resident Thanita Khiawhom with BBC Thai.

The government has pledged relief initiatives, including compensation of up to two million baht ($62,000) for families who lost loved ones.

In nearby Malaysia, the number of fatalities is considerably lower, yet the destruction is equally severe.

Flooding has caused significant disruption, leaving sections of the northern Perlis state underwater, resulting in two fatalities and tens of thousands seeking refuge in shelters.

Meanwhile, in Asia, Sri Lanka has been severely impacted by Cyclone Ditwah, which has resulted in over 130 deaths and around 170 individuals missing, according to officials.

Sri Lanka is also contending with one of its gravest weather crises in recent memory, leading the government to declare a state of emergency.

Over 15,000 residences have been destroyed, and approximately 78,000 people have been displaced to temporary shelters, as reported by officials. They noted that nearly one-third of the country is without power or running water.

Meteorologists have indicated that the extreme weather in Southeast Asia may stem from the interplay between Typhoon Koto in the Philippines and the unusual occurrence of Cyclone Senyar in the Malacca Strait.

The region’s monsoon season, generally occurring between June and September, frequently brings intense rainfall.

Climate change has transformed storm patterns, impacting both the strength and length of the season, leading to greater rainfall, flash floods, and intensified winds.