Smartraveller — the Australian government's official travel advice portal — has issued weather-related warnings for Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, as the region reels from the impact of Cyclone Senyar and other deadly storms.
Indonesians are going through the back-breaking work of shovelling mud from inundated streets and houses in the wake of Cyclone Senyar.
The cyclone was among the powerful storms including Cyclone Ditwah, Typhoon Koto and monsoonal rains that recently swept across South and Southeast Asia, devastating large swathes of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka and killing hundreds.
Ditwah has been labelled the worst natural disaster in Sri Lanka's in decades and a state of emergency was declared. More than a million people were thought to be affected: more than 460 people died, hundreds are missing and some 30,000 homes have been damaged.
People in Indonesia's flooded Pidie Jaya say they've largely been left to struggle against the mud alone. Source: SBS News / Claudia Farhart
In the aftermath, communities across the region have started the long task of cleaning up, while countries such as Australia pledge millions in disaster relief.
But in the meantime, locals in the Indonesian town of Pidie Jaya in the Aceh province told SBS News they "will need more help".
"I've lived here since childhood. I was born here. My heart feels broken. Even my eyes can't cry anymore. I lost it all," Pidie Jaya resident Junita Sari said.
Families have 'nothing anymore', locals say
Authorities have sent excavators to help clear the main streets of mud, but accessing and restoring houses will be another challenge altogether.
Some locals, like Zakaria, said: "When I returned home, I had nothing anymore."
"I don't think we can clear this house just like this. We will need more help."
Another resident, Edi Asra, said it's hard to speak without crying, estimating the cleanup could take one full year.
"We cannot imagine how much, how long – maybe three months, maybe six months, maybe one year," Asra said.
Authorities have sent excavators to help clear the main streets of mud in the Indonesian town of Pidie Jaya in Aceh province, but accessing and restoring houses remains a challenge. Credit: Xinhua News Agency via Getty
"Maybe I can't clear this house. But to buy a new house, we have no money," Daud said.
Advice to travellers as foreign aid expanded
Smartraveller, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's website, has issued weather-related warnings for Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
It cautions heavy rains have caused major flooding in parts of Indonesia, including popular travel destinations such as Bali and greater Jakarta, disrupting transport and making flooded areas dangerous to enter.
While Sri Lanka continues to feel the effects of Cyclone Ditwah, with flooding, landslides and damage to infrastructure affecting roads, rail and essential services.
The local community set a goal to clear their mosque of mud in time for this week's Friday prayers. Source: SBS News / Claudia Farhart
In the Philippines, extreme weather is bringing heavy rain and dangerous winds, with risks of flash flooding, landslides and transport disruptions, including possible airport closures, the portal warns.
This comes as the Australian government has pledged an additional $5 million for the Indo-Pacific region due to recent extreme weather events, such as cyclones and flooding, bringing the total aid to over $14 million since October.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement on Thursday: "Our thoughts are with all those affected by the recent floods and devastation in Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka."
"We are working with our partners in the region to deliver life-saving assistance to accelerate their response," she said.
Funding from the government will go towards emergency relief, food, water and sanitation, and will prioritise the "most vulnerable", including women, girls and people with disability.
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