Human Writes: Heed the lessons disasters are teaching the world

In Sumatra, deforestation is being linked to the deadly toll of recent flash floods after a huge number of logs washed up downstream. Survivors like this woman in Karang Baru, Aceh province, had to scramble for over an hour across logs to get aid. — Reuters

In November 2025, torrential rain unleashed devastating scenes across South and South-East Asia – roads became raging rivers, floodwaters rose as high as 2m, and landslides dumped torrents of mud and debris on villages, cutting off communities from food or aid.

Satellite images showed shocking destruction reminiscent of the 2004 Asian tsunami. In Aceh province, Sumatra, mud turned a vast coastal area khaki-brown while mountainsides bore large landslide scars. In Sri Lanka, roads and fields near Colombo’s Kelani River became muddy ponds.