Jakarta: Rescue teams raced Wednesday to reach communities isolated by last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as over 900 people remained missing. More than 1,400 people were confirmed dead, including at least 780 in Indonesia, 465 in Sri Lanka, and 185 in Thailand, in addition to three fatalities in Malaysia. Numerous villages remained buried under mud and debris, with power and telecommunications still disrupted.
According to Emirates News Agency, Indonesia and Thailand have been able to mobilize extensive rescue operations, deploy military assets, and channel emergency funds. In Indonesia, the worst-hit country, washed-out roads and collapsed bridges have left rescuers struggling to reach some of the hardest-hit areas in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces, said the National Disaster Management Agency.