Catastrophic Flooding Claims Hundreds of Lives Across South-East Asia
A devastating combination of tropical cyclones and intense monsoon rains has unleashed widespread flooding and landslides across southern and south-eastern Asia, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,000 people. The extreme weather has left a trail of destruction, displacing countless residents and causing significant damage to infrastructure.
Indonesia Bears the Brunt of the Disaster
Indonesia has been particularly hard hit, with the national death toll reaching 442 following floods that began approximately a week ago. Authorities fear this number will rise further. The disaster has displaced close to 300,000 people and damaged almost 3,000 houses, of which 827 were completely destroyed or swept away.
On the island of Sumatra, desperate scenes unfolded as residents scrambled for essential supplies. Social media videos depicted people navigating through crumbling barricades, flooded roads, and broken glass to secure food, medicine, and fuel. Many were forced to wade through waist-deep water to reach damaged shops.
Police spokesperson Ferry Walintukan confirmed that regional police were deployed to restore order, explaining that the looting occurred before logistical aid could arrive. "[Residents] didn't know that aid would come and were worried they would starve," Walintukan stated.
Sri Lanka and Thailand Grapple with Record Rainfall
In Sri Lanka, the situation remains dire. The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Ditwah surged to 334 on Sunday, with nearly 400 people still reported missing. The country's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) confirmed that more than 1.3 million people have been affected by the record-breaking rains, marking the worst natural disaster to strike Sri Lanka in two decades.
Low-lying areas around the capital, Colombo, remained submerged, prompting a massive relief operation involving thousands of police and military personnel. They have been distributing food, clearing blocked roads, and evacuating trapped families. Nearly 148,000 people have been displaced and are now housed in temporary shelters.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the nation, declaring a state of emergency and vowing to rebuild with international support. "We are facing the largest and most challenging natural disaster in our history," he said. "Certainly, we will build a better nation than what existed before."
Meanwhile, in Thailand, the Ministry of Public Health reported a death toll of 170 from flooding in the south of the country. Songkhla Province recorded the highest number of fatalities at 131. The city of Hat Yai experienced a historic downpour, receiving 372mm (14.6 inches) of rain on 21 November, its highest single-day total in 300 years. Public criticism of the official flood response has grown, leading to the suspension of two local officials.
Rare Cyclone Formation and the Climate Crisis Link
Meteorologists attribute the severity of the rains to the rare formation of two tropical cyclones, Koto and Senyar. These systems exacerbated the seasonal monsoon by drawing in additional warm, moist air.
Indonesia's meteorology agency highlighted that the formation of Senyar in the Strait of Malacca was an unusual event, though one that has become more frequent over the past five years. Andri Ramdhani from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) noted, "Indonesia's location near the equator theoretically makes it less prone to the formation or passage of tropical cyclones." Areas close to the equator typically lack the Coriolis force necessary for storm development.
More broadly, experts point to the climate crisis as a key factor altering storm patterns, leading to more intense rainfall, stronger wind gusts, and an increased risk of flash flooding.
The devastation has also extended to Vietnam and Malaysia. In Vietnam, authorities confirmed that rains from Cyclone Koto killed three people after two boats sank in rough seas. Central areas of the country have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in damage from recent weeks of heavy flooding. In Malaysia, two fatalities were reported, and approximately 18,700 people remain in evacuation centres due to severe flooding in northern Perlis state.
