Tropical Storm Deaths Top 600 in Southeast Asia, Over 4 Million Affected
Death toll climbs across Southeast Asia following rare tropical storm in Malacca Strait; officials report over 4 million affected in three nations
- A tropical storm has caused over 600 deaths and affected more than 4 million people across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand due to devastating floods and landslides.
- Indonesia was the hardest-hit nation, reporting 435 fatalities, followed by Thailand with 170 deaths and Malaysia with three.
- The vast majority of people affected are in southern Thailand (nearly 3 million) and western Indonesia (1.1 million), with tens of thousands evacuated across the region.
- Rescue and aid efforts are being hampered by damaged infrastructure and blocked roads, making it difficult to reach isolated communities, particularly on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Death toll climbs across Southeast Asia following rare tropical storm in Malacca Strait; officials report over 4 million affected in three nations.
The death toll has surged past 600 following devastating floods and landslides triggered by intense rains across three nations in Southeast Asia.
Officials confirmed the grim tally on Sunday as massive relief efforts continued for the over 4 million people affected and tens of thousands displaced over the weekend.
The large-scale destruction struck Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand after a rare tropical storm developed in the Malacca Strait, unleashing a week of heavy rain and powerful wind gusts, according to Reuters.
Indonesia reported the largest casualty figure with 435 dead, followed by 170 in Thailand, and three fatalities in Malaysia.
Though floodwaters have begun to recede, rescue and aid officials are still struggling to reach many isolated communities.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated across the three countries, with nearly 3 million affected in southern Thailand and 1.1 million in western Indonesia alone.
The region's crisis is compounded by a separate cyclone across the Bay of Bengal, where Sri Lankan authorities reported another 153 fatalities, 191 missing, and over half a million affected nationwide.
Indonesia: Desperation and Displaced Thousands
In Indonesia, the death toll reached 435 on Sunday, sharply up from 303 the day before.
This surge reflects the difficulty in compiling casualty reports from areas like the western island of Sumatra, where landslides and floods have devastated three provinces.
Communication is severely hindered by damaged telecommunications infrastructure and blocked roads, which have cut off many areas. Rescue teams have been forced to utilise helicopters to airlift aid to stranded residents.
Near the isolated town of Palembayan in West Sumatra, a Reuters photographer, flying in a navy chopper, observed vast tracts of land and homes swept away by floodwaters. The desperation is mounting, with officials reporting instances of looting along supply lines.
"My home and business are gone, the shop is gone. Nothing remains," lamented Afrianti, 41, who is now sheltering with her nine family members next to the single remaining wall of her house in Padang city.
Official figures confirm 406 people are still missing and 213,000 have been displaced.
Thailand and Malaysia
Thailand's public health ministry reported 170 deaths and 102 injuries, with Songkhla Province accounting for 131 fatalities.
Hat Yai, the largest city in Songkhla, experienced a record-breaking deluge, receiving 335 mm (13 inches) of rain last Friday, its highest one-day total in 300 years.
In neighbouring Malaysia, nearly 18,700 people remain in evacuation centres. Although weather warnings have been lifted, the country's foreign ministry confirmed it had to evacuate over 6,200 Malaysian nationals stranded in Thailand.
The ministry also advised citizens in Indonesia's West Sumatra to register for assistance, noting that a 30-year-old Malaysian was reported missing after a landslide.
