Sri Lanka could soon be soaked by another round of torrential rains, just days after catastrophic flooding and landslides killed more than 1,300 people across multiple countries throughout southern Asia. More than 31 inches of rain fell in just four days in parts of North Sumatra, Indonesia, as extreme weather hit Southeast Asia in late November.
In Sri Lanka alone, the death toll reached 334 on Sunday following what's been named Cyclone Ditwah, according to NBC News, with hundreds more missing. The Guardian has since reported the total at 366 deaths as of Monday night.
These numbers are "likely to rise over the coming days," according to the Guardian, which noted that "millions more have been affected by devastating floods and landslides."
Sri Lanka's department of meteorology has issued a severe advisory for some of the country's northern provinces. The forecast includes "spells of showers" that could bring heavy rainfall over the coming days. "The public is kindly requested to take necessary measures to minimize the hazards caused by temporary strong winds and lightning that may occur with thundershowers," according to forecasters.
"We are facing the largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history," said Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, per the Guardian. "Certainly, we will build a better nation than what existed before."
A combination of intense monsoon rains and tropical cyclones has devastated portions of South and Southeast Asia recently.
The Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika, Indonesia's meteorology agency, called the formation of Cyclone Senyar, which developed just north of the equator, a "rare" event. "Indonesia's location near the equator theoretically makes it less prone to the formation or passage of tropical cyclones," BKMG's Andri Ramdhani told ABC News. Ramdhani added that they are becoming less rare, though, with several tropical cyclones bringing significant impacts to Indonesia over the past five years.
Climate Diplomacy, which aims to turn diplomatic and foreign-policy engagement into action, said Sri Lanka is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of our warming world. The organization issues climate impact profiles on various regions of the world.
"Many climate-related health risks, including heat stress and vector-borne diseases, are projected to worsen over the short to medium term," stated the Climate Diplomacy report on Sri Lanka. "Extreme conditions will raise mortality and morbidity risks in the short term for particular demographic groups, especially outdoor laborers, older people, pregnant women, children and people with preexisting health conditions across northern and eastern areas."
A team of international scientists concluded that "tropical cyclones in Southeast Asia are now forming closer to coastlines, intensifying more rapidly, and lingering longer over land." The study was conducted by researchers at Rowan University, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and the University of Pennsylvania.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
This was the first time researchers have used data from various climate models to analyze cyclones from the most recent three centuries. The study showed that climate change is reshaping tropical cyclone paths in Southeast Asia and notes that warmer oceans globally are supercharging stronger storms.
|
Do you think sewage pollution is a major problem in America? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Yes 👍 
💰Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.
Cool Picks
