Southeast Asia is reeling from some of the most severe weather in decades, with relentless monsoon rains and tropical storms unleashing catastrophic flooding across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Hundreds have perished, and countless individuals remain missing as search and rescue operations intensify across the region. Millions have been gravely impacted by the widespread devastation, which has submerged communities and crippled vital infrastructure.
On Indonesia’s Sumatra island, the death toll has tragically surpassed 300, with fears that this number could climb higher as dozens are still unaccounted for. Millenium TV has learned that evacuation efforts are ongoing amidst major road closures and only partial restoration of internet and electricity services. The rare Tropical Cyclone Senyar is largely blamed for unleashing catastrophic landslides and widespread inundation, sweeping away homes and submerging thousands of buildings. Arini Amalia, a resident of Aceh Province, described the terrifying speed of the waters, telling reporters, “The current was very fast, in a matter of seconds it reached the streets, entered the houses.” She recounted seeking refuge on higher ground with her grandmother, only to find her home completely submerged upon returning the next day. Meri Osman from West Sumatra shared a harrowing account of being “swept away by the current” and clinging to a clothesline until he was rescued. Another resident in Bireuen, Aceh province, lamented, “During the flood, everything was gone… I wanted to save my clothes, but my house came down.” Rescue operations have been severely hindered by the persistent bad weather, leaving tens of thousands evacuated but hundreds still stranded, according to disaster officials. In Tapanuli, one of the hardest-hit areas, reports indicate residents have resorted to ransacking grocery stores in a desperate search for food. There is increasing pressure on Jakarta to declare a national disaster in Sumatra to facilitate a more rapid and coordinated response.
Thailand has also faced immense suffering, with 160 reported fatalities as of Saturday. Southern Songkhla province witnessed water levels surge by 3 meters (10 feet), contributing to at least 145 deaths in what authorities describe as one of the worst floods in a decade. Across the ten provinces ravaged by the inundation, more than 160 people have lost their lives, impacting over 3.8 million residents, government statements confirm. The city of Hat Yai recorded an astonishing 335mm of rainfall in a single day, marking the heaviest downpour in 300 years. As floodwaters receded, officials noted a sharp increase in the death toll. Employees at a Hat Yai hospital were compelled to relocate bodies to refrigerated trucks after the morgue reached full capacity. Thanita Khiawhom, a Hat Yai resident, expressed frustration, stating, “We were stuck in the water for seven days and no agency came to help.” The government has pledged comprehensive relief measures, including compensation of up to two million baht ($62,000) for households that have lost family members. Millenium TV confirms that tens of thousands have sought refuge in emergency shelters.
In neighboring Malaysia, while the death toll remains lower, the scale of devastation is equally profound. Flooding has ravaged northern Perlis state, leaving parts of it underwater, claiming two lives, and displacing tens of thousands into shelters.
Further afield in Asia, Sri Lanka has been hit by Cyclone Ditwah, resulting in over 130 deaths and approximately 170 individuals missing, officials have announced. Sri Lanka is also contending with one of its most severe weather disasters in recent memory, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency. Over 15,000 homes have been destroyed, and roughly 78,000 people have been forced into temporary shelters. Officials added that approximately one-third of the country is currently without electricity or running water.
Meteorological experts suggest the extreme weather patterns across Southeast Asia may be a complex interaction between Typhoon Koto, which impacted the Philippines, and the unusual formation of Cyclone Senyar in the Malacca Strait. While the region’s annual monsoon season, typically from June to September, often brings heavy rainfall, climate change has been identified as a factor altering storm patterns. This includes an increase in the intensity and duration of the season, leading to more extreme rainfall, flash flooding, and stronger winds.
© Millenium TV
