Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia begin clean-up after massive floods kill hundreds
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Bangkok - The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in South-east Asia climbed past 400 on Nov 29 as clean-up and search and rescue operations got under way in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
Heavy monsoon rain overwhelmed swathes of the three countries this week, killing hundreds and leaving thousands stranded, many on rooftops awaiting rescue.
Rescuers in Indonesia were struggling to reach the worst affected areas of Sumatra island, where more than 270 people were still missing.
Flooding and landslides in Indonesia have killed more than 300 people,
Of those, 166 were in North Sumatra province, 90 were in West Sumatra, and 47 were in Aceh.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, although access to many parts of those three provinces remains cut off, National Disaster agency head Suharyanto said.
He told a news conference that a cloud seeding operation would begin in West Sumatra to reduce the rainfall, which had mostly subsided by Nov 29.
Ms Novia, 30, a resident of Pidie in Aceh, said: “The water in our house has receded, but the entire place is covered in mud. Some of the items in the house are damaged or have fallen, and we haven’t been able to clean them yet.
“We, the community, are working together to clean up the mud.”
Mr Firda Yusra evacuated his home with his wife and child to shelter in a nearby mosque with around a thousand others.
“Here, we eat whatever is available,” he said.
Thailand clean-up
In southern Thailand, water levels reached 3m in Songkhla province in one of the worst floods in a decade.
The death toll has risen to 162, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said on Nov 29, up from the previous toll of 145.
Workers at one hospital in hard-hit Hat Yai moved bodies into refrigerated trucks after the morgue exceeded capacity.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited a shelter for evacuees in Hat Yai on Nov 28.
“I really have to apologise to them for letting this happen during the time I am in government,” he told reporters in footage broadcast on AmarinTV.
“Whenever there are losses, deaths, or injuries, it’s always the prime minister’s fault,” he said on Nov 29. “I will use all my expertise and dedication to improve the situation.”
“The next step is to prevent the situation from deteriorating,” he added, announcing a two-week timeframe for the district’s clean-up.
The Thai government rolled out relief measures for those affected by the flooding, including compensation of up to 2 million baht (S$80,800) for households that lost family members.
More than 40,000 people have taken shelter in evacuation centres, according to flood relief operations centre spokesman Wanchana Sawasdee, although “some people have already returned home”.
Malaysia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said more than 6,000 Malaysians who were stranded by severe flooding in Hat Yai had been rescued.
Public criticism
As flood waters receded, shop owner Rachane Remsringam picked through rubbish strewn between the aisles of his general goods store, lamenting hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. His store, Madam Yong, was looted and vandalised in the wake of the disaster, he said.
There has been growing public criticism of Thailand’s flooding response and two local officials have been suspended over their alleged failures.
An aerial view of a flooded area in Hat Yai as the flood situation begins to ease on Nov 28.
PHOTO: EPA
An MP from the opposition People’s Party criticised the administration, saying it “wrongly estimated the situation” and made “errors in handling the flood crisis”.
Tropical storm exacerbated conditions in Malaysia
Two people were killed in Malaysia by flooding caused by heavy rain that left stretches of northern Perlis state under water.
The annual monsoon season, typically between June and September, often brings heavy rain, triggering landslides and flash floods.
Rescuers evacuating residents from a flood affected area in Langkat, North Sumatra, on Nov 28.
PHOTO: EPA
A tropical storm has exacerbated conditions, and the tolls in Indonesia and Thailand rank among the highest in flooding events in those countries in recent years.
Climate change has affected storm patterns, including the duration and intensity of the season, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding and stronger wind gusts.
A warmer climate holds more moisture, producing more intense rain events, while warmer oceans can turbocharge the strength of storm systems. AFP, REUTERS
