Devastating Asia floods leave at least 1,250 people dead: What was the cause?

In recent days, South and Southeast Asia have experienced catastrophic flooding and landslides caused by heavy rainfall and multiple tropical storms. Officials report that over 1,250 people have lost their lives across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, with many more still missing.

The destruction was worsened by two cyclones and a typhoon, which buried entire towns and villages in mud across Sumatra in Indonesia, as well as parts of Sri Lanka and Thailand. Recovery operations are expected to continue for several weeks.

Sri Lanka Declares State of Emergency

Sri Lanka has announced a state of emergency following the floods and landslides, which have displaced more than 1.1 million people. Sampath Kotuwegoda, head of the Disaster Management Centre, described the situation as a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions.

Indonesia Faces Massive Landslides

Jessica Washington, reporting from North Sumatra, Indonesia, noted that landslides were widespread. Normally, landslides affect isolated areas, but this time, all the villages we visited were impacted, she said from North Tapanuli.

Causes of the Disasters

The extreme rainfall and flooding were intensified by tropical storms, including Typhoon Koto in the Philippines, Cyclone Senyar in northern Sumatra, and Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. Steve Turton, an environmental geography expert, explained that such storms are producing unprecedented rainfall due to climate change.

Warmer oceans generate stronger rain bands around tropical cyclones, while a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and releases it in intense bursts, climate scientist Roxy Matthew Koll added. La Nia, a natural climate pattern, also contributed by pushing warm water and moisture toward Asia, increasing rainfall and flood risks.

Climate Change and Response

While the storms were not classified as severe by wind speed, they produced extreme rainfall due to a warming climate. Attribution studies, such as those from the Grantham Institute using the IRIS model, have shown that climate change has already increased rainfall from storms like Typhoon Fung-wong.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the need to confront climate change and prepare regional administrations for its effects. Global climate experts, including Shweta Narayan of the Global Climate and Health Alliance and Harjeet Singh of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, stressed that governments have largely failed to prepare for extreme weather, and urgent action is required to reduce the impacts of future disasters.

International Legal and Policy Implications

The recent storms coincided with the conclusion of COP30 in Brazil, which failed to deliver the funding and policy support needed by countries most affected by climate change. The International Court of Justice has ruled that states have a legal duty to act urgently to address climate threats, and climate-related lawsuits are increasingly being filed worldwide, such as the case against Shell by survivors of Super Typhoon Odette in the Philippines.

Alexander Matheou of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies emphasized that these floods are a clear reminder that climate-driven disasters are becoming the norm, highlighting the urgent need for investments in resilience and preparedness.

Author: Sophia Brooks