Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka are the three countries most affected by the worst natural disaster since the 2004 tsunami, with nine million people affected. Up to four consecutive typhoons during the rainy season have devastated much of Southeast Asia, leaving more than 1,500 dead and hundreds missing. In Indonesia alone, there are over three and a half million affected. A rescuer highlights, ‘This is the worst situation we have ever seen due to the magnitude of the operation,’ while a woman laments that they have ‘no food, no clean water,’ so they cook and feed ‘the children using floodwater.’
Emergency teams work tirelessly, searching for victims among the debris and retrieving bodies trapped in the mud. A landslip and sudden flooding left a road flooded in the city of Banda, as shown in the main video accompanying the news. ‘I just want them to find my wife, even if it’s a piece of her hand; as long as I can recognize her, it’s enough,’ expresses a man.
Sri Lanka, underwater
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is literally underwater, with thousands of homes buried in mud. Emergency teams distribute food, although debris slows down the work and assistance is inadequate. In the streets of Thailand, people are submerged up to hip height, seven provinces completely flooded, and the risk of contracting diseases like Dengue has skyrocketed.
The main causes of this catastrophe are deforestation and climate change. Faced with the dire situation and insufficient aid, the Red Cross is preparing an international appeal to assist the devastated areas.
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