All at Across the Timor Sea have been increasingly concerned with news we are hearing from Timor Lestè. With the problems of dealing with COVID 19 being compounded by unusually destructive monsoon storms.

The Timor Lestè Government were being remarkable in dealing with the COVID 19 epidemic at first, however destructive storms, with associated mud slides, resulted in people having to flee to evacuation centres, where overcrowding was making self-isolation even more challenging, if not impossible. Those taking refuge with relatives or friends faced overcrowding as well.

The death and injury toll is devastating. Compounding this, many people have become homeless, and much infrastructure destroyed. People are saying it was much worse than ever before.

The stories of how some people have coped, is awe-inspiring.

There is now much to do.