FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The tragic toll from devastating floods that have hit Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand has reached over 1,200 dead and more than 800 missing, as search and rescue operations continue unabated. Heavy monsoon rains have caused massive flooding and landslides, isolating thousands of people and devastating entire areas.
Indonesia, the hardest-hit country, has reported 631 deaths and 475 missing, mostly on the island of Sumatra, where roads and bridges have been swept away by mudslides. Rescue teams are only reaching the area by sea. Serious suspicions are rising from the Batang Toru forest areas that illegal logging has exacerbated the disaster. The floods have carried away millions of cubic metres of felled trees, making the terrain more unstable. Environmental activists warn that uncontrolled development and deforestation are turning the phenomenon into a “man-made crisis”.
In Sri Lanka, the death toll has reached 390, with 352 people reported missing. The military is searching the affected areas, but many communities remain isolated by blocked roads and collapsed bridges. The city of Kandy is running out of drinking water, while authorities warn that the rains are expected to continue. President Dissanayake described the situation as “the worst natural disaster in the country’s history” and warned that the toll would rise.
In southern Thailand, the consequences of the floods have affected more than 1.5 million families and nearly 4 million people. Work has begun to clean up and repair infrastructure, including water and electricity systems. The Ministry of Interior has announced the establishment of public kitchens and a compensation package of about 7 million euros, which will be distributed to 26 thousand affected residents - a figure that experts consider far from the real needs.
A grim picture across Southeast Asia, where the combination of extreme climate and environmental degradation is leading to increasingly catastrophic consequences for local populations.
Lini një Përgjigje