Jakarta, Dec. 3 (BNA): The death toll from the catastrophic floods and landslides that struck Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand last week has risen to more than 1,300 with nearly 1,000 missing.

Days of heavy monsoon rains inundated vast areas, leaving thousands stranded and many clinging to rooftops and trees waiting for help.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the authorities said that the flooding and landslides killed at least 1,347 people: 753 in Indonesia, 410 in Sri Lanka, 181 in Thailand and three in Malaysia.

Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said it’s too early to determine the exact number of dead in his country.

In Indonesia, the hardest-hit nation, rescuers struggled to access villages on Sumatra island, where roads have been washed out and bridges collapsed. At least 650 people remain missing, according to the country’s National Disaster Management Agency.

The disaster is the deadliest in Indonesia since a 2018 quake and tsunami in Sulawesi killed more than 4,300 people.

For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep sadness over the tragic loss of life caused by the severe floods and landslides.

According to the UN News website, the UN spokesperson said that the UN is in close contact with the authorities in the four countries, and that the organization is ready to support relief and response efforts, stressing that UN teams are at the disposal of governments to provide the necessary assistance.

N.B, Z.H, s.a