Jakarta, Indonesia – December 7, 2025 – As relentless monsoon rains, worsened by a series of powerful tropical cyclones, continue to batter South and Southeast Asia, the combined death toll from severe floods and landslides has risen past 1,700 as of Sunday, with hundreds more still missing. The disaster has affected millions of people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, and India, marking one of the deadliest weather-related catastrophes in the region in recent decades.
Indonesia has been by far the hardest-hit country. On Sumatra island alone, floods and landslides have claimed 916 lives, with 274 people still unaccounted for and approximately 4,200 injured, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). More than 3.2 million residents have been affected in the worst-hit provinces of North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh, while over 1 million people have been displaced and moved to temporary shelters and evacuation centers. Entire villages in districts such as Central Tapanuli, Agam, and Aceh Tamiang have been buried under mud or washed away by flash floods, leaving behind scenes of collapsed homes, twisted vehicles, and ruined farmland.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has personally overseen the response, visiting affected areas and directing the full mobilization of military helicopters, Hercules transport aircraft, and naval vessels to deliver aid and evacuate survivors. During a speech this week, he announced that the government intends to purchase up to 200 new helicopters in 2026, explicitly for dual-use in national defense and rapid disaster response. He stressed that Indonesia’s geography and frequent exposure to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather make such investments essential, stating that the country cannot afford to wait for equipment during crises.
In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah, which made landfall on November 17, has now killed 618 people, according to the latest update from the Disaster Management Centre. Another 209 individuals remain missing. The storm dumped extreme rainfall across the island, triggering massive landslides in the central highlands and severe urban flooding around Colombo. More than 71,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, nearly 1 million people have affected nationwide, and over 108,000 are still living in emergency shelters. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has described it as the largest natural disaster in the country’s modern history, with the military conducting helicopter rescues and international aid teams arriving from India, Pakistan, and several other nations.
Southern Thailand has reported 185 confirmed deaths, primarily in Songkhla and nearby provinces, with 367 people still listed as missing. Record-breaking rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems, submerged tens of thousands of homes, and forced the evacuation of more than 2 million residents across 12 provinces. The Thai government has allocated substantial emergency funds and suspended two senior officials over criticism of the initial response speed.
Malaysia has recorded three fatalities linked to widespread flooding that displaced around 37,000 people across eight states, while India reported four deaths in Tamil Nadu due to heavy rains and cyclone-related impacts near Chennai.
Across the affected countries, the human and economic toll continues to mount. Food shortages, damaged infrastructure, and the threat of waterborne disease outbreaks in crowded shelters are now major concerns. Deforestation, rapid urban development in flood-prone areas, and the intensifying effects of climate change have all been cited by experts as factors that turned seasonal monsoon rains into lethal.
Rescue operations remain active in remote and mountainous regions where roads and bridges have washed away. Military and volunteer teams are racing against renewed rain forecasts to locate missing persons and deliver food, clean water, and medical care. International organizations, including the United Nations and Red Cross, have launched major relief appeals to support millions of survivors as the region braces for the possibility of additional storms in the coming weeks.
The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of Southeast Asia’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather, with governments now under pressure to strengthen early-warning systems, improve land-use planning, and invest heavily in disaster-resilient infrastructure.
