Severe floods across Southern Asia have left hundreds dead and displaced millions, triggering a major humanitarian crisis. Authorities race to provide aid as impacted regions face widespread devastation.
Torrential monsoon rains, intensified by powerful tropical systems, have unleashed devastating floods and landslides across parts of southern Asia, killing around 600 people and affecting millions more in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. This is being described as some of the region’s worst flooding in years, with search and rescue operations still underway and authorities warning that the death toll is likely to rise as more victims are found.
Indonesia: Sumatra Devastated by Rare Cyclone
In Indonesia, intense rainfall began pounding the island of Sumatra on Wednesday, triggering flash floods and deadly landslides that destroyed homes and infrastructure. A resident of Bireuen in Aceh province describes how her house collapsed as she tried to save basic belongings:
“During the flood, everything was gone.”
An exceptionally rare tropical cyclone, named Cyclone Senyar, has been blamed for catastrophic flooding and landslides, with entire neighborhoods submerged and thousands of buildings underwater.
Indonesia’s disaster agency says more than 300 people have died and nearly 300 remain missing and warns that heavy rain and unstable ground are hampering rescue efforts and access to remote areas.
Thailand: ‘Once-in-300-Years’ Rains Swamp the South
Thailand’s southern provinces have also been hit extremely hard, particularly Songkhla and the city of Hat Yai. In Songkhla, floodwaters rose to 3m (10ft), and across ten affected provinces, more than 160 people have died, and over 3.8 million residents have been impacted, according to government figures.
Hat Yai recorded an extraordinary 335mm of rainfall in a single day, which Thai officials say is the heaviest in 300 years, a:
“once-in-300-year’s event”
As waters began to recede, authorities reported a sharp increase in the death toll, and one hospital was forced to move bodies to refrigerated trucks after the morgue became overwhelmed, local media reported.
Strain on Communities and Government Response in Thailand
Many residents say they were trapped for days without assistance, highlighting the strain on local disaster response. Hat Yai resident Thanita Khiawhom told:
“We were stuck in the water for seven days and no agency came to help.”
The Thai government has pledged emergency relief measures, including compensation of up to two million baht (about $62,000) for households that have lost family members in the floods. Authorities are also using boats, helicopters and, in some areas, drones to deliver food, water and medical supplies to isolated communities.
Malaysia: Lower Death Toll, Heavy Damage
Neighbouring Malaysia has reported a smaller number of deaths, but the scale of destruction remains severe. Flooding has inundated large parts of the northern state of Perlis, leaving communities underwater and forcing tens of thousands of people into emergency shelters.
Local officials say roads, farms and homes have been badly damaged, and relief efforts are focused on getting essential supplies to evacuees and restoring critical infrastructure as conditions allow. For many families, the disruption to livelihoods may last long after waters recede.
Sri Lanka: State of Emergency Amid Cyclone Damage
Sri Lanka is facing one of its worst weather disasters in recent years after being battered by Cyclone Ditwah and related heavy rains. Officials report that more than 130 people have died and about 170 are still missing, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency and appeal for international assistance.
More than 15,000 homes have been destroyed and some 78,000 people have taken refuge in temporary shelters, authorities say. They estimate that roughly a third of the country is currently without electricity or running water, raising concerns about disease, food security and longer-term recovery.
Meteorology and the Climate Change Factor
Meteorologists say this extreme spell of weather in South and Southeast Asia may be linked to the interaction between Typhoon Koto in the Philippines and the rare formation of Cyclone Senyar in the Malacca Strait. These systems appear to have amplified the monsoon, driving exceptionally intense rainfall over a wide area.
The region’s annual monsoon, usually between June and September, regularly brings heavy rainfall, but scientists note that climate change is altering storm patterns, including their intensity and duration. Warmer air and sea temperatures can lead to further heavier downpours.
