SE Asia needs to prepare for floods, says Red Cross

Holding on for a swim ride through the floods affecting Thailand. [AFP]

Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Radio Australia News

The International Federation of the Red Cross says South-East Asian countries must do more to be ready for floods, as large swathes of the region remain inundated.

Matthew Cochrane, of the aid agency's South-East Asia branch, told Radio Australia's Connect Asia the flood situation in Thailand remains grim.

This is despite some reports that peak waters have flowed into the Gulf of Thailand.

Three months of flooding in Thailand has affected a third of the country.

In neighbouring Cambodia, more than a million people have been affected.

Coping

Mr Cochrane said aid organisations are coping with demand.

But he said the lack of flood preparedness needs to be addressed.

He said: "We can respond, and we'll keep on responding. We'll provide assistance for people, we'll provide food, we'll provide water, we'll provide medical assistance.

"But at some point there needs a discussion about entirely changing the way we handle these disasters."

He said authorities needed to "focus more on preventing them and helping people to be strong enough to withstand them, rather than this costly and late response model".

The Thai floods had forced more than two million people to evacuate their homes.

He said aid agency services will be required for several more months.

"It's getting quite clear now that these people are going to need a lot of assistance for at least the next two months, and possibly for the next six or so."