Torrential rains have triggered floods and landslides across parts of southern Asia, killing about 700 people. Monsoon rain exacerbated by tropical storms caused some of the region's worst flooding in years, with millions affected in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.
Intense rainfall began on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday. During the flood, everything was gone, a resident of Bireuen in Sumatra's Aceh province told Reuters news agency. I wanted to save my clothes, but my house came down. With hundreds still missing, the death toll is likely to rise. Thousands remain stranded, some awaiting rescue on rooftops.
As of the latest reports, more than 300 people had died in Indonesia, 160 in Thailand, and at least two in Malaysia. In Sri Lanka, which has been battered by heavy rains and a cyclone, more than 130 people are dead and some 170 missing, officials said.
In Indonesia's Aceh Province, local resident Arini Amalia described how the floodwaters reached the streets in seconds and inundated homes. A resident named Meri Osman shared his harrowing experience of being swept away by the current before being rescued.
In southern Thailand, flooding hit the region's Songkhla province hardest, with water levels soaring up to 3 meters (10 ft). More than 3.8 million people have felt the impact of this disaster, prompting government officials to declare relief measures to assist the affected households.
Meanwhile, the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka has seen a state of emergency declared as the severe weather has caused extensive damage, with more than 15,000 homes destroyed and widespread power outages.
Local officials attribute the extreme weather patterns to climate change, which has intensified the already chaotic monsoon season in the region.
