Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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December 2, 2025 Climate and environment
On Tuesday, UN agencies reported that tropical cyclones, which brought record rainfall and flooding, have killed hundreds of people across vast swathes of Southeast Asia. Massive destruction and displacement are also reported.
The countries hardest hit include Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam, according to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis.
"Asia is extremely vulnerable to floods," Nullis said, noting that floods top the list of climate risks in the region, according to the WMO's annual State of the Climate reports.
However, she stressed that tropical cyclones like Cyclone Senjar, which brought "heavy rains, massive flooding and landslides" to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand last week, rarely come so close to the equator.
“We don’t see this very often, and the consequences are more serious because local residents… don’t have this kind of experience,” she emphasized.
Hundreds dead
A WMO representative cited data from Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, released on Tuesday: 604 people were killed, 464 were missing, and 2,600 were injured. Overall, approximately 1.5 million people in Indonesia were affected, with 570,000 forced to flee their homes.
Commenting on the situation in Vietnam, Nullis noted that the country "has been hit by the elements for several weeks now" and is "preparing for more heavy rains."
"Exceptional rainfall in recent weeks has flooded historic sites, popular tourist resorts and caused extensive damage to [infrastructure]," she said.
Almost two meters of precipitation in one day
At the end of October, a weather station in central Vietnam recorded a record daily rainfall of 1,739 millimeters.
"This is the second highest daily rainfall in the world," Nullis said.
These data are currently undergoing official verification by the WMO. The organization clarifies that a reading of over 1,700 mm would be an absolute record for Asia and the entire Northern Hemisphere.
A Growing Humanitarian Crisis
Ricardo Pires, a representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), described the situation in Sri Lanka as a "rapidly escalating humanitarian emergency." Last week, Cyclone Ditwa struck the country's east coast, affecting approximately 1.4 million people, including 275,000 children.
"There are communication problems, roads have become impassable, and the number of child victims is likely even higher," Pires warned.
"Houses have been washed away, entire communities are left isolated," he added.
A UNICEF representative stressed that displaced families are forced to live in unsafe and overcrowded shelters, while flooding and damage to water systems increase the risk of disease outbreaks.
"The needs [of those affected] far exceed available resources," Pires said, calling for additional humanitarian funding.
"It's a law of physics": extreme precipitation will intensify
Commenting on the intensity of destructive weather events, Nullis explained that rising temperatures "increase the potential risk of more extreme precipitation events because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture."
"It's a law of physics… We're seeing an increase in extreme precipitation events, and that will continue in the future," she concluded.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.