Floods and landslides on Indonesia’s Sumatra island have killed 708 people, with 504 still missing, following unusually heavy monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm.

The disaster has affected 3.2 million people in Indonesia, injured 2,600, and forced the evacuation of around one million residents, while aid delivery has been hampered by blocked roads and damaged infrastructure.

Aceh and North Sumatra face severe food shortages, prompting the Indonesian government and aid organizations to send rice, cooking oil, and emergency supplies.

Similar extreme weather has struck other parts of Asia, including southern Thailand, where 181 people were killed, and Sri Lanka, where Cyclone Ditwah has caused 410 deaths and left 336 missing, The Guardian has reported.

The World Health Organization highlighted the role of climate change in increasing the frequency and severity of such disasters, while survivors recount the rapid onset and devastation of the flooding.