ISLAMABAD: At least 136 people have been killed, and millions have been affected as Southeast Asia is battered by some of its worst extreme weather in years, with devastating floods sweeping Indonesia and Malaysia, while Sri Lanka faces deadly rains and braces for the impact of Cyclone Ditwah along its eastern coast.
Homes have been destroyed, transport networks paralysed, and emergency teams stretched across multiple countries as the regional crisis deepens.
Millions have been affected across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, with entire communities submerged and widespread damage reported. At least 80 people died, and dozens more remain missing in Indonesia this week, as Southeast Asia faces some of the most severe weather the region has seen in years.
But the crisis extends beyond mainland Southeast Asia. In Sri Lanka, at least 56 people have died and 21 are still missing after days of torrential rains triggered landslides, floods, and major transport disruptions.
Videos on social media show homes being washed away as powerful floodwaters tore through towns. Train services across the island have largely been suspended.
Sri Lanka is now bracing for even more extreme weather on Friday as Cyclone Ditwah moves along its eastern coast. The storm, which began as a deep depression, has since intensified and is expected to make landfall in India.
River levels continue to rise, and authorities have issued a red-level flood warning for low-lying areas of the Kelani River valley — including parts of Colombo — over the next 48 hours. The Meteorological Department says some central and northern areas could receive more than 200 mm of rain on Friday.
Major inter-provincial roads have been closed, and almost all trains have been cancelled. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) says nearly 44,000 people have been affected, with 20,500 troops deployed for rescue and relief operations. Sri Lanka’s A-Level examinations have also been postponed.
Though the country is in its monsoon season, weather of this scale is rare. The worst flooding in Sri Lanka this century occurred in June 2003, when 254 people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced.
