Death toll tops 1,200 across Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand as search efforts ramp up

Rescue teams are scrambling to locate survivors and retrieve bodies after devastating floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand pushed the combined death toll past 1,200, with hundreds still unaccounted for.

Days of relentless monsoon rain submerged large swaths of land, leaving thousands marooned and many taking refuge on rooftops. Authorities reported at least 1,230 fatalities – 659 in Indonesia, 390 in Sri Lanka and 181 in Thailand – while more than 800 people remain missing.

Indonesia has suffered the worst impact, with rescuers struggling to reach isolated communities in Sumatra as washed-out roads and collapsed bridges hamper access. The national disaster agency said 475 people are still missing, and adverse weather is slowing air and water operations.

In Sri Lanka, military teams are combing through areas ravaged by floods and landslides linked to Cyclone Ditwah, with 352 people still missing. Transport remains severely disrupted due to damaged roads and infrastructure. In Kandy, residents face water shortages and rely on bottled water from natural springs as more rainfall is expected.

Southern Thailand has begun clearing debris after floods affected over 1.5 million households and nearly 4 million people. Authorities are rushing to restore essential services, while the Interior Ministry plans to open public kitchens and distribute compensation worth 239 million baht ($7.4 million) to 26,000 affected residents.