Since mid-November, overlapping tropical storms and intensified monsoon systems have led to catastrophic flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Viet Nam.
UN teams throughout the region are assisting government-led emergency operations with food, health, water, sanitation aid, medical deployments, and early recovery assessments, as heavy rains persist and concerns grow that the crisis could worsen.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation and are in close contact with national authorities,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said in New York on Thursday.
“The UN is ready to support any ongoing efforts.”
Storms and cyclones across south and southeast Asia from 17 November to 3 December.
Overlapping storms
Experts state the disasters were caused by an unusual convergence of powerful weather systems, including Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar, and a strengthened northeast monsoon.
Warm ocean temperatures and changing storm tracks have led to extreme rainfall in areas previously facing lower cyclone risk.
Nearly 11 million people in the region have been affected, with about 1.2 million displaced to shelters, as roads, utilities, and farmlands have been destroyed.
A man stands in over three feet of floodwaters in Gampaha, Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka: Nationwide devastation
Sri Lanka experienced severe impacts after Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on 28 November, causing floods and landslides across nearly the entire island.
The highest death tolls were seen in the hill districts of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Badulla, where landslides destroyed plantation communities. Severe flooding inundated western and north-western districts, including Colombo’s suburbs, disrupting markets, transport, and water supplies.
Children have been significantly affected, with over 275,000 estimated impacted.
Bridges and access roads swept away by a landslide in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Indonesia: Flash floods and landslides
In Indonesia, continuous downpours from 22 to 25 November caused deadly floods and landslides across Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra, devastating numerous districts.
Official figures show over 830 deaths, with at least 500 people missing, and more than 880,000 displaced. In total, more than three million people have been affected by floodwaters, landslides, and damaged infrastructure.
Entire villages were submerged, bridges washed away, and roads blocked, isolating communities and hindering rescue efforts. Emergency teams rely on helicopters and boats to deliver aid to inaccessible areas.
“We are working closely with the government on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), logistics, and coordination with local partners,” UN Spokesperson Dujarric said.
A teacher inspects the damage in a kindergarten classroom at a school in Thailand.
Thailand and Malaysia: Mass evacuations
Moving east, intensified monsoon rains have hit southern Thailand, impacting 12 provinces.
At least 185 people have died, with 367 missing and over four million people affected. More than 219,000 residents have been displaced as rivers overflowed and coastal areas flooded.
In neighboring Malaysia, flooding across eight northern and central states displaced around 37,000 people. Authorities continue to issue evacuation orders and weather warnings as rain continues.
A UNICEF staff member hands ready-to-eat food to a family in Tuyên Quang, Viet Nam.
Viet Nam: A relentless typhoon season
Viet Nam faces the cumulative effects of one of its harsh
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