COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities issued fresh landslide warnings on Sunday with rains lashing areas already devastated by a powerful cyclone, as the death toll rose to 618.&nbsp;More than two million people, nearly 10% of the population, have been affected by last week&#39;s floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwa, the worst on the island this century.&nbsp;The Disaster Management Center (DMC) said monsoon storms were adding more rain and making hillsides unstable, including the central mountainous region and the north-western midlands.&nbsp;Helicopters and planes were being used on Sunday to supply communities cut off by landslides in the center of the country.&nbsp;The Sri Lanka Air Force said it had received a planeload of relief supplies from Myanmar on Sunday, the latest batch of foreign aid.&nbsp;The government has confirmed 618 dead, 464 from the lush tea-growing central region, while 209 people remain unaccounted for.&nbsp;The number of people in state-run refugee camps had dropped to 100,000 from a peak of 225,000 as floodwaters receded across the island by Sunday, the DMC said.&nbsp;More than 75,000 homes were damaged, including close to 5,000 that were completely destroyed, it added.&nbsp;The government on Friday unveiled a major compensation package to rebuild homes and revive businesses wiped out by the natural disaster, which hit the island as it was emerging from its 2022 economic meltdown.&nbsp;A senior official earlier said recovery and reconstruction might cost up to $7 billion.&nbsp;The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Friday it was considering Sri Lanka&rsquo;s request for an additional $200 million to help with rebuilding.&nbsp;The money is on top of the $347 million tranche due later this month, part of a four-year, $2.9 billion IMF bailout loan agreed in 2023.&nbsp;President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday that Sri Lanka&rsquo;s economy had made a significant recovery, but was not strong enough to withstand the latest shock alone.&nbsp;Survivors will be offered up to 10 million rupees ($33,000) to buy land in a safer location and build a new house, the finance ministry said in a statement late on Friday.&nbsp;One million rupees is being offered in compensation for each person killed or left permanently disabled.&nbsp;The government did not say how much the package would cost, raising concerns given the country&#39;s recent economic turbulence.&nbsp;The central bank has ordered commercial lenders, both state-owned and private, to reschedule loans.

Asia

The Disaster Management Center (DMC) says monsoon storms were adding more rain and making hillsides unstable, including the central mountainous region and the north-western midlands.

Sri Lanka issues landslide warnings as cyclone toll hits 618

HANOI: Rescuers raced to find more than a dozen people still missing on Saturday after a week of heavy flooding in Vietnam, where authorities said at least 55 people have died.&nbsp;Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October and popular holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding.&nbsp;Whole city blocks were inundated this week in coastal Nha Trang, while deadly landslides struck highland passes around the Da Lat tourist hub.&nbsp;At least 55 people have been killed across six provinces since Sunday, while the search continues for 13 others, the environment ministry said in a statement released on Saturday.&nbsp;Mountainous Dak Lak province was the hardest hit, with more than two dozen fatalities, it said.&nbsp;Rescuers were still plucking people from treetops and the roofs of homes as floodwaters receded there on Friday, state media reported.&nbsp;Multiple highways remained impassable Saturday and 300,000 people were without power, after a blackout that initially affected more than a million, the environment ministry added.&nbsp;Natural disasters have left 279 people dead or missing in Vietnam and caused more than $2 billion in damage between January and October, according to the national statistics office.&nbsp;The Southeast Asian nation is prone to heavy rain between June and September, but scientists have identified a pattern of human-driven climate change making extreme weather more frequent and destructive.

Relentless rain has lashed south-central Vietnam since late October and popular holiday destinations have been hit by several rounds of flooding.

Vietnam flooding death toll rises to 55

Faraz Saeed/Mariam Ellahi

LAHORE: As Pakistan grapples with devastating floods, health experts warn of increased risks to public health if preventive measures are not maintained.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since late June, heavier-than-usual monsoon rains have caused widespread flooding and landslides, impacting over 6 million people across the country, according to the United Nations.&nbsp;In Punjab, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority reported that over 4.7 million people have been affected, with more than 100 lives lost and thousands of homes, livestock, and crops destroyed.&nbsp;&nbsp;The floods have displaced 2.6 million people, leaving communities vulnerable to waterborne diseases.&nbsp;Health officials confirmed that the total number of patients treated in flood-affected areas has exceeded 900,000. Most cases involve respiratory issues, fever, skin allergies, diarrhea, and eye infections &mdash; conditions all related to flood contamination and poor living conditions.&nbsp;No danger of epidemicsDespite the surge in medical cases, authorities maintain that no major epidemic has been detected.&nbsp;&nbsp;Dr Moiz Mansoor, Additional Director at the Punjab DGHS office, told Pakistan TV Digital that up to 20,000 health camps were established at the height of the floods. As waters recede, around 465 health camps &mdash; including mobile clinics and field hospitals &mdash; remain operational.&nbsp;&ldquo;At the peak, more than 51,000 patients were screened in a single day,&rdquo; Dr Moiz said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;We are actively testing for malaria, diarrhea, eye diseases, and snake bites. While there has been a 2% to 3% increase in overall disease incidence, there is no evidence of an outbreak.&rdquo;&nbsp;However, public health experts remain cautious. Dr Masood Sheikh, a senior health specialist, noted that Pakistan is among the most frequently flood-affected countries in the world.&nbsp;&ldquo;The consequences can be immediate, in the form of fatalities, or longer-term through the spread of infectious diseases,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The actual health toll is probably underestimated due to the scale of displacement and the difficulties in gathering data, he added.&nbsp;Dr Sheikh warned that Punjab could see a rapid spread of preventable diseases like polio, measles, leishmaniasis, HIV, and COVID-19 if vaccination efforts are not strengthened.&nbsp;&nbsp;Many flood victims are already suffering from skin and waterborne infections caused by prolonged exposure to contaminated water, he added.&nbsp;Health services overwhelmedWhile provincial authorities focus on rescue efforts and setting up medical camps, reports from the field indicate that health services are overwhelmed.&nbsp;&nbsp;Doctors and aid workers describe clinics swamped with patients, shortages of essential medicines, and long waits for treatment. In some camps, anti-malarial drugs and rabies vaccines have reportedly run out, leaving residents at greater risk.&nbsp;The World Health Organization has warned of &ldquo;grave risks&rdquo; of epidemic outbreaks, urging immediate improvements in clean water, sanitation, and consistent medical supplies. Aid groups echo these concerns, pointing to unsanitary conditions in camps and stagnant floodwater breeding mosquitoes, which raises the threat of cholera, dysentery, and dengue.

Climate & Environment

Floods have displaced 2.6 million people, leaving communities vulnerable to waterborne diseases; PDMA reports over 4.7 million people have been affected, with more than 100 lives lost and thousands of homes, livestock, and crops destroyed. 





Punjab floods: Over 900,000 treated as authorities downplay outbreak fears

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a dengue warning to last from September 20 through December 5, citing conditions created by recent monsoon rains and widespread flooding, which have heightened the risk of mosquito‑borne disease transmission.&nbsp;According to PMD&rsquo;s Dengue Alert‑1, stagnation of flood water, high temperatures between 26‑29&deg;C over multiple weeks, and relative humidity exceeding 60% are contributing to a &ldquo;high risk of severe dengue outbreak,&rdquo; especially in cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Hyderabad, and Multan.&nbsp;The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has also sounded alarms in flood‑affected areas, calling on health departments and local authorities to take immediate preventive steps. These include clearing stagnant water, fumigating, spraying larvicides, and raising public awareness.&nbsp;National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has echoed the warning, urging the public to employ mosquito nets, repellents, and proper sanitation, particularly in shelters and flood camps.&nbsp;Flood‑affected provinces in Punjab and Sindh continue to suffer from submerged roads and villages, where drainage is blocked and standing water remains after rivers overflowed reservoirs. These conditions are seen as especially conducive to mosquito breeding.&nbsp;Authorities emphasize that early warning signs like fever, joint pain, and rashes should prompt immediate medical consultation. Hospitals and dengue control centers are being placed on high alert in major cities to handle a possible surge in patients.

Health

PMD warns of possible dengue outbreak Sept 20–Dec 5 amid flooding; PDMA, NDMA urge public in major Pakistani cities to take precautions.

Articles tagged with "flood"

Sri Lanka issues landslide warnings as cyclone toll hits 618

Vietnam flooding death toll rises to 55

Punjab floods: Over 900,000 treated as authorities downplay outbreak fears

Pakistan issues dengue outbreak warning in flood-hit areas