The flood crises in Sri Lanka and Australia. Where is the State when you need it?

Severe flooding in Sri Lanka and Australia, caused by the same regional La Niña weather pattern, has had devastating consequences in both countries. More than a million people have been affected by the floods triggered by torrential rains in Sri Lanka, particularly in the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Ampara. In Australia, thousands of people have had their homes inundated by flood waters, especially in the north-eastern state of Queensland and its capital, Brisbane.

At first sight, the circumstances seem quite different. Sri Lanka is an economically backward country that has suffered a quarter century of communal war, and a destructive tsunami in December 2004, and lacks very basic infrastructure. Australia is a large developed economy, with modern facilities and access to sophisticated technology. More...

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