Southeast Asia is reeling from devastating back-to-back tropical storms and unprecedented rainfall, which have claimed hundreds of lives and displaced millions, UN agencies reported Tuesday. Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam are among the hardest-hit nations, facing widespread flooding, landslides, and community disruption.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlighted that the combination of monsoon-related rains and tropical cyclone activity has created a rare and extreme situation for the region. “Tropical cyclones such as Senyar, which struck northern Sumatra, peninsular Malaysia, and southern Thailand, are rare so close to the Equator. Communities have little experience coping with such events, magnifying the impacts,” said WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis.
In Indonesia, the National Disaster Office reported 604 fatalities, 464 missing persons, and 2,600 injured, while 1.5 million people have been affected and over 570,000 displaced. Meanwhile, Viet Nam continues to grapple with exceptional rainfall, with one central station recording 1,739 millimetres in just 24 hours—potentially the second-highest 24-hour total ever recorded worldwide.
Sri Lanka is also in crisis following Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the east coast last week. UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires described a “fast-moving humanitarian emergency” affecting 1.4 million people, including 275,000 children. Flooding and damaged infrastructure have left families in unsafe, overcrowded shelters, with critical services like healthcare, water, and schools disrupted.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed condolences to the victims’ families and reiterated the UN’s readiness to support relief efforts. WMO stressed that rising global temperatures are contributing to more extreme rainfall, as warmer air holds more moisture, increasing the likelihood of intense weather events.
“The law of physics is clear: we are seeing more extreme rainfall, and it will continue in the future,” Nullis warned, underscoring the urgent need for preparedness and support for affected communities.
