Asia Faces 'Tsunami-like' Weather Crisis
Asia is reeling from a rare one-two punch of deadly cyclones and relentless monsoon rains. The World Meteorological Organization recently warned that the combined impact in 2025 feels 'like a tsunami' in its destructive scale, overwhelming communities unprepared for such extremes.
Countries Under Siege
- Indonesia: Tropical Cyclone Senyar swept across northern Sumatra, peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand in late November, bringing torrential rain, widespread flooding and landslides. The Indonesian National Disaster Office reports 604 confirmed deaths, 464 missing people and over 1.5 million affected, with more than 570,000 displaced.
- Vietnam: After weeks of exceptional monsoon rains, historic sites and coastal resorts are underwater. In late October, a station in central Vietnam recorded 1,739 mm of rain in 24 hours—one of the highest totals ever for Asia and the Northern Hemisphere.
- Sri Lanka: Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on the east coast last week, triggering a fast-moving humanitarian emergency. UNICEF estimates 1.4 million people have been affected, including 275,000 children facing cut-off roads, damaged water systems and overcrowded shelters.
Global Response and Climate Link
The United Nations, led by Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres, has pledged support and extended condolences to all affected communities. WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis explained that rising temperatures increase the atmosphere's moisture capacity, fueling more extreme rainfall events. 'That's the law of physics,' she said. 'We will continue to see more extreme rainfall in the future.'
As relief efforts scale up, experts warn that Asia's vulnerability to floods and cyclones will only grow unless nations accelerate climate adaptation and disaster preparedness.
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'Like a tsunami': Deadly cyclones and monsoon rains strike Asia
cgtn.com
