Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos are experiencing extreme floods and typhoons this month. The heavy rain season is usual for the region, but the scale of this year’s events is much more severe. The rainfall is causing significant landslides, which have lead to major destruction of the affected areas. Hundreds of people have lost their lives, and thousands are left without a home and are seeking shelter. Central Vietnam has experienced the most damage: nearly 1 million people are directly affected. The forecast predicts more typhoons in the coming days, so the situation will only worsen. As climate change progresses and the sea surface temperatures in South East Asia keep rising, the region monsoon rains are also expected to intensify in the future.
The impact of 2020 on the economy and the environment of the afflicted regions is, without a doubt, enormous. The COVID-19 pandemic and now the natural disasters have devastated the areas. In the coming months and even years, the local governments will need to focus on redeveloping the necessary infrastructure and restoring the basic needs of the victims and the entire population.
(Photo credit: VnExpress)