Worst-hit Indonesia works to restore normalcy as Asia floods leave over 1,600 dead

Indonesia is working to restore normal life in the country's worst-hit regions after severe floods and landslides across Asia killed more than 1,600 people as of Friday, with hundreds still missing, according to a recent UN report.

Unprecedented floods, landslides, storms, and cyclones have wreaked havoc across Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand, as authorities continued to struggle to reach communities cut off by washed-out roads and destroyed infrastructure.

According to the UN, its teams have been deployed across the affected region to support government-led emergency operations with food assistance, health services, water and sanitation support, medical deployments, and early recovery assessments.

"We continue to closely monitor the situation and remain in close contact with national authorities," UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday, adding: "The UN stands ready to support any ongoing efforts."

During a visit to flood-hit Sumatra on Thursday, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka said the government is expediting the delivery of relief supplies and the repair of essential infrastructure, according to state-run Antara News.

Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency reported that floods and landslides in Sumatra alone have killed 867 people, with 521 still missing and around 4,200 injured.

More than 3.2 million people have been affected by devastating floods and landslides, while more than 1 million displaced residents were moved to safe areas in the flood-hit provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh.

The agency said heavy equipment has been deployed to reopen access routes and reach isolated communities to deliver essential aid.

Indonesia's Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Yandri Susanto said Thursday that the government is stepping up its efforts to restore disaster-affected settlements as hundreds of buildings remain damaged.

The Indonesian army has also deployed Starlink satellite communication units to restore connectivity in flood-affected areas of West Sumatra.

According to The Jakarta Post, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq on Wednesday warned that the permits of companies whose operations allegedly contributed to last week's deadly floods and landslides may be revoked.

In Sri Lanka, the death toll from Cyclone Ditwah has risen to 607, with 214 people still missing since the storm struck on Nov. 17, the country's Disaster Management Center said in a report on Friday.

The UN said at least 185 people have died in southern Thailand, while 367 others remain missing. Four deaths were reported in India and three in Malaysia amid severe weather conditions.