Concerns grow in flood-ravaged Indonesia, Sri Lanka as rain predictions increase

Predicted rainfall on Thursday heightened concerns over further destruction in areas of Indonesia and Sri Lanka already devastated by recent floods, which claimed over 1,500 lives across four nations.

In Indonesia, the meteorological agency cautioned that the three provinces most affected on the island of Sumatra could experience "moderate to heavy" showers from Thursday into Friday. Rainfall began overnight and, although it has not matched last weeks intensity, it has stirred fear among residents still traumatized by flash floods and landslides.

"We worry that sudden rain will bring floods once more," said 54-year-old Sabandi at a shelter in Pandan, North Sumatra.

Indonesias official death toll reached 776 on Thursday, slightly revised down as updates from remote areas arrive. Over 560 people remain missing amid patchy communication and electricity shortages, complicating rescue efforts.

Sabandi, who uses a single name, described being stranded on her roof for two days without food or water before evacuation. "My house was filled with mud, so high I couldnt enter," she recalled.

While seasonal monsoons provide essential rainfall for Asian farmers, climate change has made these patterns increasingly unpredictable and dangerous.

Last week, two separate weather systems soaked Sri Lanka, Sumatra, parts of southern Thailand, and northern Malaysia, complicating relief operations. In Banda Aceh, Indonesia, fuel lines stretched up to four kilometres at some stations. The provincial governor led aid deliveries to Aceh Tamiang, providing 30 tons of essentials, including drinking water, rice, noodles, biscuits, eggs, and medicine.

In Langsa city, 49-year-old Erni and her family sought refuge in an Islamic prayer hall after floods destroyed their home. While they received limited food and water aid, power outages and irregular access to clean water hindered recovery. "The wardrobe, table, refrigeratorall ruined," she said. "We cant sleep, constantly worried about another flood."

Elsewhere, survivors reported shortages of food, price gouging, and looting.

In Sri Lanka, forecasters predicted the northeast monsoon would arrive Thursday afternoon, prompting renewed landslide warnings in central areas like Kandy. Residents were advised to avoid returning home due to the risk of collapse from saturated slopes. In Hadabima village, residents searched for missing people; 18 bodies were recovered from six landslide-destroyed homes. Six others remain unaccounted for, said 42-year-old electrician VK Muthukrishnan, who described the village as "now a cemetery."

At least 479 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka, with hundreds still missing. The president has requested international aid, estimating reconstruction costs for homes, infrastructure, and industries at up to $7 billion, a significant challenge for a country still recovering from a severe economic crisis three years ago.

Author: Natalie Monroe