Govt deploys military across Asia as catastrophic floods continue to unfold

The death toll has climbed up to 1,000, after the devastating floods and landslides swept away four countries in Asia recently. The Asian countries Sri Lanka and Indonesia deployed military personnel on Monday to help the victims, trapped and suffering injuries.

People remain missing as the change in weather brought torrential rainfall to the entire island nations like Sri Lanka and isolated corners of Indonesia’s Sumatra, parts of Thailand and Malaysia last week.  

Provide necessary aid 

  Serving an aid to the nation, as the catastrophe continues to unfold, Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto said on Monday that the government’s “priority now is how to immediately send the necessary aid,” as quoted by AFP.  

“There are several isolated villages that, God willing, we can reach,” he added, informing that the government is deploying helicopters and aircraft to aid the relief effort.

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In Indonesia almost 402 people remain missing as rescuers battle to reach isolated corners of Sumatra, where entire communities have been cut off and thousands wait in dwindling conditions for food, water, and medical aid. Prabowo has come under pressure to declare a national emergency in the state which killed at least 442 people.  

Deadliest disaster in Indonesia

The catastrophe marks as the deadliest disaster in Indonesia as the flood sweeps away the larger parts of the island. After the natural disaster in the 2018 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that killed thousands of people, the government became vigilant and sent across three warships as an aid for the worst hit-areas.  

Sri Lanka battles the floodwater

The flood left people leaving their homes and getting displaced as their vehicles and floods got coated in thick grey mud.  

The government called out for international aid using military helicopters to reach people stranded by the floods and landslides.  

The death toll has climbed up to 334 in Sri Lanka, the disaster agency reported on Sunday.  

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Indonesia floods leave 442 dead as rescuers race to reach cut-off Sumatra villages

Sri Lanka issued a state of emergency to combat the disaster, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said while addressing the nation, “We are facing the largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history. Certainly, we will build a better nation than what existed before.”

Most parts of Asia are witnessing its annual monsoon season, which brings heavy rainfall along with landslides.  

But the flooding that hit Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia was also exacerbated by a rare tropical storm that dumped heavy rain on Sumatra island in particular.