Hundreds dead or missing, millions displaced with hundreds of thousands more evacuated as torrential rains return to already rain drenched Indo-Pakistan and Asia areas after a turbulent year of unprecedented rainfall

Earthwindmap showing the incredible amounts of rainfall in Indo-Pakistan and Asian area in recent days

In July TBW reported the deluge continues, more than 10 million people have been displaced across a wide spread of Southern Asia as torrential rains continue to cause havoc in the area. According to a report in The Star Tribune, thousands more are struggling to get food and medicine, nearly 600 people have died in India and Nepal. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, or IFRC, claimed a humanitarian crisis can not be avoided, saying that close to one-third of Bangladesh has already been flooded, with more flooding expected in the coming weeks.

It said that 2.8 million people have been affected and that more than 1 million are isolated. In India, over 6.8 million people have been affected by the flooding, mainly in the northern states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Meghalaya bordering Bangladesh, the IFRC said, citing official figures. In India's northeastern state of Assam alone, some 2.5 million people were affected and at least 113 have died, authorities said. M.S. Manivannan, head of Assam's Disaster Management Authority, said many rivers were still flowing above the danger level.

We are now halfway through October, nearly six million people have been affected by flooding this year in East Africa alone. Data from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said 1.5 million people have been displaced by the floods. The number of people affected has increased more than five-fold in four years. The number has gone up from 1.1 million in 2016 to nearly six million so far this year.

There are fears that the situation will worsen when the peak of the short rains in November to hit most countries in the region. Parts of the region are recording the heaviest rains in a century. In 2019, a big temperature differential between the east and west sides of the Indian Ocean was blamed for heavy rainfall. 

Vietnam

The number of deaths caused by flooding and landslides in central Vietnam rose to 102 Monday night, with 26 still missing. The Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control says the three provinces with the highest loss of lives are Quang Tri with 48 people, Thua Thien-Hue with 27 and Quang Nam with 11. As of 4 p.m. Monday, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces had 166,780 households submerged in floodwaters, and 28,900 households with almost 100,000 residents had been evacuated.

Water levels were rising fast in rivers flowing through Ha Tinh. At 3 p.m., the water level had gone past the highest danger Level 3 by 0.5 m at Ngan Sau River near Chu Le Train Station. Water levels at the Ngan Pho and La rivers had reached danger Level 1., according to VNExpress.

India

Heavy torrential rainfall has unleashed a catastrophe on southern India where over 60 people have died so far in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Over 100,000 people have been displaced and moved to relief camps. Twenty-seven people have died in the Indian state of Maharashtra in rain-related incidents and over 29,292 people have been evacuated to safer locations.

The Maharashtra districts of Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur are facing a flood-like situation as the downpours continued, leading to widespread flooding. Videos of submerged roads, floating cars, and rescuers carrying out evacuations in southern India have left people in other parts of the country in shock. Heavy rainfall will continue to wreak havoc over parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra, the India Meteorological Department predicted on Friday.

Rainfall is also likely to occur over northern peninsular India and adjoining areas as well as east Rajasthan and south Uttar Pradesh. The National Disaster Response Force has deployed four teams in various districts of Maharashtra to carry out relief and evacuation work. In a major relief to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where over 50 people and 15 people have died respectively, water has started receding in the deluged areas.

Pakistan

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Saturday updated data of human and financial losses caused by the rains and floods during the recent monsoon season, raising the death toll to more than 300, including over 100 children.

Thailand

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) in Thailand reports that 28 provinces in the country have been affected by recent flooding, landslides and storm damage. One fatality was reported in Chanthaburi Province as a result of flooding. DDPM said that flooding is still affecting parts of Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Sa Kaeo, Surat Thani, Trang, Satun and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

A total of 25,546 households have been affected by floods and heavy rain, including 2,472 households in Trang, 5,066 households in Satun and 13,347 households in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Cambodia

Flooding has worsened in parts of Cambodia after further heavy rain in the country and dam releases in bordering parts of Thailand. Cambodia’s National Committee for Disaster Management said on 17 October that flooding that began in early October has now affected over 240,000 people in 71 districts of 19 of the country’s 25 provinces and autonomous regions. At least 20 people have lost their lives.

The affected provinces are Banteay Meanchey, Oddar Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kandal, Koh Kong, Mondulkiri, Pailin, Pursat, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Siem Reap and Takeo provinces, and the autonomous municipality and capital, Phnom Penh. Almost 60,000 houses have been damaged, and over 26,000 people from nearly 8,000 families evacuated. Thousands of hectares of rice and other crops have also been damaged.

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