2. PRAY FOR 5 NATIONS IN ASIA AFFECTED BY FLOODS AND CYCLONES:
Pray for millions of people affected by the tropical storms and heavy rainfall that have caused devastating flooding and landslides across much of South and Southeast Asia in recent days.
More than 1,300 people have been killed across Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand alone, and many others are still missing. Please pray for the following nations:
Indonesia: Flash floods and landslides:
900 deaths, 500 missing, and 880,000 Displaced.
In Indonesia, relentless downpours between 22 and 25 November triggered deadly floods and landslides across Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra, devastating dozens of districts.
Official figures indicate more than 830 deaths, with at least 500 people still missing, and more than 880,000 displaced. In total, over three million people have been affected by floodwaters, collapsed hillsides and destroyed infrastructure.
Entire villages have been submerged, bridges washed away and roads cut off, isolating communities and slowing rescue efforts. Emergency teams are relying on helicopters and boats to deliver aid to areas unreachable by land.
Sri Lanka Floods and Cyclone Ditwah:
500 Deaths and 341 Missing, over million displaced.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, the government has called for international aid and is using military helicopters to reach people stranded by flooding and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah.
According to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA, across all 25 districts, over a million people are affected and the Disaster Management Center (DMC) reports 486 deaths and 341 missing persons,
Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on 28 November before moving back over the Bay of Bengal, triggering some of the most severe flooding Sri Lanka has seen since the early 2000s.
Reports note that in Sri Lanka over 3,000 Assemblies of God members and families are affected and also 30 churches damaged by the floods.
Death toll rises in Thailand
185 Deaths and 367 Missing, 219,000 Displaced.
Intensified monsoon rains have battered southern Thailand, where 12 provinces have been affected. At least 185 people have died, with 367 missing and over four million people impacted. More than 219,000 residents have been displaced as rivers burst their banks and low-lying coastal areas flooded.
Malaysia
Flooding across eight northern and central states has displaced around 37,000 people. Authorities continue to issue evacuation orders and weather warnings as rain persists.
Vietnam.
Earlier, both Philippines and Vietnam were affected by typhoons and floods.
Viet Nam is confronting the cumulative toll of one of its harshest typhoon seasons in years. Since October, a succession of storms has flooded and damaged large swathes of the country, particularly in northern and central provinces.
Persistent downpours since mid-November, compounded by Tropical Cyclone Koto, have triggered new landslides and prolonged displacement.
Heavy toll on children!
Children are bearing a devastating share of the storms, with millions cut off from schools, clean water and basic services. More than 4.1 million children across the region have had their education disrupted since late November alone, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Thousands of students have been unable to attend class and any children are now living in overcrowded evacuation shelters, exposed to disease, malnutrition and heightened protection risks.
‘You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.
Isaiah 25:4,9
In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord , we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” ‘
Please Pray:
- For Restoring normalcy back to these nations.
- For families who have lost loved one for comfort and strength.
- Pray for Children who are affected by these disasters.
- For those who have lost everything and livelihood.
- Pray for Hope – that the Church and relief agencies will bring help and hope to people.
- Pray for the Churches and Christians in these nations to be beacon of hope and light amidst the dark times.
Sources:
Operation World
BBC News.
Council of Foreign Relations.
Al Jazeera News.
UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
UN Relief Coordination Office.