Severe storms kill nearly 1,000 in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka

People wade through a flooded street after heavy rainfall in Wellampitiya on the outskirts of Colombo on November 30, 2025. AFP

Severe weather across parts of Asia has claimed nearly 1,000 lives, with Indonesia and Sri Lanka among the worst affected by heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides.

Three tropical cyclones, coinciding with the northeast monsoon which typically brings heavy downpours to Southeast Asia this time of year, have caused widespread destruction in the region. Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand have also received significantly above-normal rains in the past week, according to data from the US Climate Prediction Center.

In Indonesia’s Sumatra island, the intense storm activity has left at least 442 people dead and another 402 missing, while Thailand’s latest death toll stands at 169. Storm Senyar, which circled the Strait of Malacca last week, has now dissipated over the South China Sea, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.

In Sri Lanka, fatalities from heavy flooding rose sharply on Sunday, almost doubling to 334 dead and another 370 missing. Cyclone Ditwah, which came ashore in the island nation on Friday, is forecast to bring heavy rains to some parts of southern India on Monday, according to forecasts.

Meanwhile, Storm Koto is forecast to linger in the waters east of Vietnam as it gradually weakens over the next few days. It will likely bring more rains to central and northern-central Vietnam, which have already been pounded by storms and historic floods that have racked up at least $3 billion in losses in recent weeks.