Heavy monsoon rains and a tropical cyclone have claimed nearly 500 lives in six Asian countries this August, with Myanmar especially hard hit. Widespread flooding and landslides have displaced 240,000 families in 12 states and regions in the country, according to the National Natural Disaster Management Committee, with more than 100 people reported dead. In all, the storms have affected 1.1 million and destroyed well over 15,000 homes.