South-East Asia region hit by 36 disasters last week; Philippines and Indonesia most affected

In this Feb. 9, 2024 handout photo from Municipality of Monkayo, rescuers recover bodies at the landslide-hit village of Maco in Davao de Oro province, southern Philippines. Several villagers remain missing while some bodies have been recovered from underneath the rubble as rescue efforts continue at the landslide-hit area. - AP

MANILA/JAKARTA (Bernama): The South-East Asia region faced a barrage of 36 disasters last week including floods, landslides, and wind-related incidents especially in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, said Jakarta-based Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre)

Indonesia’s disaster management agency, BNPB, detailed a series of floods, landslides, and wind-related disasters in multiple regions including Bengkulu, Gorontalo, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Lampung, West Nusa Tenggara, Papua, Riau, South Sulawesi, and South Sumatra.

"The prolonged heavy rainfall, strong winds, and overflowing rivers exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread damage and displacement, particularly in Central Java.

"The toll stands at four lives lost, one person injured, and significant damage to residential, educational, religious, and public infrastructure, along with agricultural land,” the AHA Centre noted in its weekly update.

Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) reported flooding in Pahang while the Philippines’ disaster management council NDRRMC documented a landslide in the southeastern part, Davao de Oro.

As of Feb 10, the council reported 33 fatalities, 89 missing persons, 35 injuries, and over 1,300 displaced families across various evacuation centers, with extensive property damage.

Additionally, both Indonesia and the Philippines recorded 12 significant earthquakes above 5.0 magnitude, alongside volcanic activity observed in eight instances. - Bernama