Asia's Catastrophic Floods Leave 1,400 Dead: A Region in Crisis
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{ "title": "Asia's Catastrophic Floods Leave 1,400 Dead: A Region in Crisis", "article": "Catastrophic floods and landslides have devastated parts of Asia, claiming over 1,400 lives in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia. The disaster has exposed stark economic disparities in the region, with Indonesia bearing the heaviest blow, recording at least 753 deaths, followed by Sri Lanka with 465. Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has warned that it's too early to determine the exact number of dead in his country. Rescue teams are racing against time to reach isolated communities, with over 1,000 people remaining missing and villages buried under mud and debris. Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto visited a disaster zone, promising aid and support for rebuilding, but has yet to declare a national emergency or seek international assistance. In contrast, Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has met with diplomats to urge support for relief and reconstruction efforts. The floods have left Sri Lanka, still recovering from a severe economic crisis, facing limited resources and foreign exchange shortages. Authorities in Indonesia have said the disaster is the deadliest since the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, which killed over 4,300 people. The National Disaster Management Agency in Indonesia reported that over 1.5 million residents have been displaced, with some 2,600 people injured and hospitals overwhelmed. The government has deployed three hospital ships to the devastated provinces. In Sri Lanka, the flooding is expected to have significant repercussions on the economy, which has only recently stabilized. The island nation is under an International Monetary Fund bailout program, requiring it to conserve foreign currency to repay defaulted external debt. Countries such as India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates have launched relief efforts, while foreign diplomats have pledged additional support. In Thailand, recovery efforts are progressing well, with water and electricity restored in nearly all affected areas, and over 1 billion baht ($31.3 million) in compensation disbursed to impacted households. "
