PADANG SIDEMPUAN, Indonesia (AP) — Over 800 people remained missing Monday after devastating floods killed over 1,000 people last week in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as Indonesia’s president urged more action to confront the changing climate.
The flooding and landslides killed at least 604 people in Indonesia, 366 in Sri Lanka and 176 in Thailand, authorities said.
Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto pledged to rebuild infrastructure while visiting areas impacted by floods and landslides on Sumatra island that left thousands homeless and 508 people missing as of Monday.
Some areas of Indonesia remained unreachable Monday after the disaster damaged roads and downed communications lines, with residents in impacted areas relying on aircraft delivering supplies. Flooding displaced 290,700 people in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces, the National Disaster Management Agency said.
Prabowo, who visited North Sumatra on Monday and was expected to West Sumatra and Aceh during the day, said the government’s response is reaching those in need.
“We need to confront climate change effectively,” Prabowo told reporters after visiting survivors. “Local governments must take a significant role in safeguarding the environment and preparing for the extreme weather conditions that will arise from future climate change.”
Sri Lanka authorities said Monday that rescuers are still searching for 370 missing people. Nearly 148,000 people are housed in temporary shelters after being battered in the past week downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads and triggered landslides, primarily in the tea-growing central hill country.
In Thailand, the first batch of compensation payments are set to be distributed Monday, beginning with 239 million baht ($7.4 million) for 26,000 people, government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said.
Authorities on Monday worked to clean up streets and restore infrastructure including water and electricity in the southern part of the country where severe flooding affected more than 1.4 million households and 3.8 million people, he said.
The Interior Ministry will set up public kitchens to provide freshly cooked food for affected residents, he said.
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