Dakar: Lives upended by cyclones, ‘extreme’ rainfall on the rise, warn UN agencies. Across southeast Asia, record-breaking rains and flooding caused by back-to-back tropical storms have claimed hundreds of lives and brought devastation and displacement upon entire communities, UN agencies said on Tuesday.
According to EMM, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis reported that Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam are among the countries most affected by a combination of monsoon-related rainfall and tropical cyclone activity. UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres expressed deep sadness over the loss of life across the region, offering condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity with those impacted.
The UN is in contact with authorities in all affected countries and is ready to support relief efforts. UN Country Teams are available to assist governments as needed. Ms. Nullis noted that Asia is highly vulnerable to floods, with flooding consistently topping the list of climate hazards in the region, as highlighted in WMO’s annual State Of The Climate reports.
Tropical cyclones such as Senyar, which recently caused flooding and landslides in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, peninsular Malaysia, and southern Thailand, are uncommon near the Equator, leading to amplified impacts due to local communities’ lack of experience with such events.
The UN weather agency spokesperson cited figures from the Indonesian National Disaster Office indicating 604 fatalities, 464 missing persons, and 2,600 injuries. Approximately 1.5 million people have been affected in Indonesia, with over 570,000 displaced. Viet Nam has also faced weeks of battering and is preparing for additional heavy rainfall, with recent exceptional rains flooding historic sites and tourist resorts, causing widespread damage.
In late October, a meteorological station in central Viet Nam recorded a national 24-hour rainfall record of 1,739 millimetres, the second-highest known total globally for 24-hour rainfall. This exceptionally high value is under evaluation by a formal WMO extremes committee. A value above 1,700 mm would set a record for the Northern Hemisphere and Asia.
Ricardo Pires, spokesperson for the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), described a fast-moving humanitarian emergency in Sri Lanka following Cyclone Ditwah, which affected 1.4 million people, including 275,000 children. With communications down and roads blocked, the true number of affected children is likely higher. Displacement has forced families into unsafe shelters, and the flooding has increased disease outbreak risks. Additional humanitarian funding and support are urgently needed.
Ms. Nullis commented on the intensity of these weather events, explaining that rising temperatures increase the risk of more extreme rainfall due to a warmer atmosphere holding more moisture. This trend of extreme rainfall is expected to continue in the future.