Overview
- Authorities report at least 1,500 deaths across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia, with Indonesia counting 836 and Sri Lanka 479 and hundreds still missing as totals continue to rise.
- Sumatra is the worst hit, with large swaths inaccessible after roads and bridges were destroyed and entire villages swept away, leaving millions affected and communications down.
- Rescue and relief teams struggle to reach isolated communities facing shortages of food and clean water, while forecasters warn of additional rain in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh.
- Meteorologists note the storms formed unusually close to the equator, and the WMO and climate researchers link elevated sea-surface temperatures to more intense rainfall and storm clusters.
- Environmental groups say decades of deforestation amplified landslides and floods and press for faster adaptation funding, as Sri Lanka’s initial damage estimate reaches about €6 billion with more than 60,000 in state shelters.