More than 1,500 dead in Asia floods; experts urge forest protection
Catastrophic floods and landslides across parts of Asia have killed more than 1,500 people as of Thursday, with hundreds still missing and rescue operations ongoing in remote and isolated areas. Authorities in Indonesia’s North Sumatra and other affected regions prepared for renewed heavy rainfall after meteorologists issued fresh warnings. Governments deployed military, police, and volunteers to reach stranded residents, distribute aid, and restore access to cut-off communities. Disaster agencies opened information centers, expanded evacuation shelters, and monitored health risks in crowded camps, while environmental officials examined the role of land use and deforestation in slope instability and runoff.