Several Asian countries are reeling from a series of cyclones, heavy rains, floods, and landslides, leaving millions affected and causing widespread devastation. Over the past week, more than 1,100 people have lost their lives, while thousands have been displaced.
The death toll in individual countries includes 604 in Indonesia, 366 in Sri Lanka, 176 in Thailand, and 3 in Malaysia.
In Sri Lanka, an emergency has been declared as the government grapples with extensive damage caused by cyclones, heavy rainfall, and flooding. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa described the destruction as even worse than the 2004 tsunami.
According to the global charity Save the Children, severe floods and landslides in Indonesia and Thailand have disrupted education for thousands of children. In southern Thailand, nearly 76,000 children are unable to attend school due to closures or lack of access in affected areas.
In Indonesia, the situation is similarly dire, with around 1,000 schools damaged or closed by flooding. Many schools are being used as temporary emergency shelters, further interrupting teaching activities. Save the Children emphasizes that affected children urgently require educational, psychosocial, and protective support, while ongoing rains threaten to worsen the situation.
Meanwhile, the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, under the influence of Cyclone Mandous, continues to experience heavy rainfall, leading to the suspension of flight operations in Chennai.
