30/11/2025

theSun on Sunday NOV 30, 2025

WORLD 7

Thailand, Indonesia start massive clean-up operations

HONG KONG: An outpouring of grief swept Hong Kong yesterday as crowds paid their respects and laid flowers for the 128 people killed in one of the city’s deadliest fires, marking the start of a three day mourning period. A growing number of people arrived at a park near the charred shell of Wang Fuk Court, the residential complex that burned for more than 40 hours, to place white and yellow flowers and handwritten messages. “May your spirits in heaven always keep the joy alive,” one note read. A woman surnamed Wong, who lived in the estate for more than four decades, sat dazed nearby as she counted off a list of deceased neighbours and friends. “It was a grandmother with a 18 month-old baby. I was very close with them,” Wong, 69, said, adding that many of the elderly homeowners had a tight bond. “Yesterday it was confirmed they died.” Elsewhere in the Tai Po neighbourhood, a hall in a community centre was turned into a “condolence point” for the public, one of 18 across the city. A man surnamed Ki, 52, was among the dozens who queued to sign the condolence book in silence, which was only broken by sounds of sobbing. “I can’t do anything. I can only hope they rest in peace,” he said. City leader John Lee and top ministers stood in silence for three minutes in the morning before work outside the government headquarters, where the flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast. – AFP HK begins mourning period Sri Lanka flood toll rises to 123 COLOMBO: Torrential rains and floods triggered by Cyclone Ditwah have killed 123 people across Sri Lanka, with another 130 still missing. Disaster Management Centre Director-General Sampath Kotuwegoda said relief operations were underway, with 43,995 people moved to state-run welfare centres after their homes were destroyed in the week-long heavy rains. The weather system was moving away from the island towards India but it has already left massive destruction. The flooding in low-lying areas worsened yesterday, prompting authorities to issue evacuation orders for those living along the banks of the Kelani River, which flows into the Indian Ocean from Colombo. The Kelani burst its banks on Friday evening, forcing hundreds of people to move to temporary shelters. Rains had subsided in most parts of the country, including the capital. Officials said India had rushed a planeload of supplies early yesterday for the victims. – AFP

THE HAGUE: The International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled on Friday that the Philippines’ 80-year-old former president Rodrigo Duterte must remain detained despite a defence appeal for his release on grounds of age and declining health. Duterte, president from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March over deaths during his war on drugs when thousands of alleged narcotics peddlers and users were killed. The appeals judges shot down a request for provisional release on health grounds, meaning he will have to stay in court detention to await a possible trial. “The Appeals Chamber found that the defence failed to identify errors” in a lower court decision that Duterte should stay in detention, presiding judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza said. Duterte was not in court to hear the ruling. His grandson Omar Duterte PADANG: The death toll from devastating floods and landslides in Southeast Asia climbed past 350 yesterday as clean-up and search and rescue operations got underway in Indonesia and Thailand. Heavy monsoon rain overwhelmed swathes of the region this week, killing hundreds and leaving thousands stranded, many on rooftops awaiting rescue. Rescuers in Indonesia were struggling to reach the worst affected areas of Sumatra, where more than 100 people were still missing. Flooding and landslides in Indonesia have killed more than 200 people, according to figures from disaster authorities. “As of tonight, 61 fatalities have been recorded, and 90 are still being searched for,” West Sumatra Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Ilham Wahab said on Friday. In North Sumatra, another 116 people have died while in Aceh, the death toll was said to be at least 35. National Disaster Agency head Suharyanto told a news conference that a cloud seeding operation would begin in West Sumatra to control the rainfall, most of which had already subsided by yesterday. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited a shelter for evacuees in HatYai on Friday. “I really have to apologise to them for letting this happen Bangkok rolls out relief measures

Residents clear deep mud from the entrance of a home in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya district in Aceh. – AFPPIC

People’s Party criticised the administration, saying it “wrongly estimated the situation” and made “errors in handling the flood crisis”. The annual monsoon season, typically between June and September, often brings heavy rain, triggering landslides and flash floods. A tropical storm has exacerbated conditions, and the tolls in Indonesia and Thailand rank among the highest in floods in those countries in recent years. – AFP

As floodwaters receded, shop owner Rachane Remsringam picked through rubbish strewn between the aisles of his general goods store, lamenting hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. His store, Madam Yong, was looted and vandalised in the wake of the disaster, he said. There has been growing public criticism of Thailand’s flood response and two local officials have been suspended over their alleged failures. An MP from the opposition

during the time I am in government,” he told reporters in footage broadcast on AmarinTV. “The next step is to prevent the situation from deteriorating,” he said, announcing a two-week timeframe for the clean-up of the district. The Thai government rolled out relief measures for those affected by the flooding, including compensation of up to two million baht (RM256,184) for households that lost family members. told reporters after the ruling that his grandfather was not a flight risk and should have been released. “Half the time, while we are talking, he doesn’t even know why he’s in there, in detention,” he said. In Manila, victims’ families watched the hearing together holding signs saying: “Duterte’s detention is our safety, no to interim release”. One person jumped for joy and others clapped as the ruling was read out. “The trial must go on. It must continue until it is proven that Duterte is guilty,” said Sheerah Escudero, whose brother was killed in 2017. The ICC arrest warrant states Duterte created, funded and armed death squads. According to police, 6,200 suspects were killed during anti-drug operations under Duterte’s presidency. Duterte’s lawyers have filed several other motions to get the entire case dismissed. – Reuters

Duterte loses appeal

Relatives of the victims react in Manila on Friday after watching the live stream of the hearing. – AFPPIC