Name: Floods in Asia kill more than 1,400
Uploaded: 2025-12-03T15:14:04.662Z
Duration: 1 min 51 s
Description: Parts of Asia are reeling after torrents of rain unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides last week and killed more than 1,400 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia.

Parts of Asia are reeling after torrents of rain unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides last week and killed more than 1,400 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia.

Widespread flooding across South and Southeast Asia has killed more than 1,400 people and displaced over 1.5 million, with Indonesia experiencing the most severe impact. Rescue operations continue as residents recount harrowing escapes from floodwaters and landslides, while many blame illegal deforestation for exacerbating the disaster.

In Sri Lanka, floodwaters are receding, but the country faces challenges in recovery due to limited resources following an economic crisis. Climate experts warn that such extreme weather events may become more frequent in the region, which has also seen significant damage in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines during an unusually strong monsoon season.

Floods in Asia kill more than 1,400

Rescue teams in Sumatra dig through thick mud, uncovering homes and bodies, after floodwaters swallowed a large part of the Indonesian island. Residents say they clung to trees and rooftops to escape torrential waters and landslides. When my son and I left the house, we ran about 10 meters from there, and immediately it got dark. Then I climbed a tree. I managed to hold my child's hand, but an object passed by and hit us. I held him close. I thought, even if this is death, I accept it. Indonesia has been the hardest hit in the flooding that has devastated South and Southeast Asia, with over 1.5 million displaced and hundreds dead. Many residents say that illegal deforestation has worsened the effects of heavy rains. These people don't care about the forest, and now we bear the burden. We're the victims here. Everything is destroyed. In Sri Lanka, floodwaters are receding. But the country, recovering from an economic crisis, has fewer resources than its neighbors to respond to the vast destruction. In preparation for the rains, this 71-year-old repairman moved his goods to the second floor of his shop. But it was not enough to protect the electronics from floodwaters. He estimates that he lost over $20,000 in the disaster. Everything was washed away by the floods. Now we are destitute. We will have to start from zero again. Climate experts warn that punishing storms like the one that caused these floods could be the new normal in Southeast Asia. The region has faced an unusually strong monsoon season this year, causing deaths and severe damage in Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

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