Rain Forecasts Raise Concerns in Flood-Stricken Indonesia and Sri Lanka

Forecasts of fresh rain on Thursday (Dec 4) raised fears of more damage in flood-hit Indonesia and Sri Lanka, after earlier deluges killed more than 1,500 people in four countries. In Indonesia, the meteorological agency warned the three hardest-hit provinces on the island of Sumatra will see ‘moderate to heavy’ rain between Thursday and Friday. The downpour started overnight, but so far has not reached near the intensity that led to destructive flash-flooding and landslides last week. The toll on Thursday stood at 776, revised down slightly from a day earlier as information arrives from remote, inaccessible areas. More than 560 people remain missing, with patchy communications and electricity making it hard to confirm whereabouts.