| 2024–2025 floods in Southeast Asia and South Asia | |
| Duration: | November 2024 – ongoing |
| Total Fatalities: | 82+ |
| Areas Affected: |  Indonesia  Malaysia  Sri Lanka  India  Thailand |
| Cause: | Flash flooding, landslides |
The 2024–2025 floods in Southeast Asia and South Asia severely impacted multiple Southeast Asian and South Asian nations, resulting in numerous fatalities and widespread displacement across many countries beginning in late-November 2024 at the onset of the 2024–25 monsoon season. The disasters primarily manifested as flash floods and landslides, triggered by intense monsoon rainfall.
Southeast Asia's traditional wet season, which typically spans October through March, is driven by the Australian-Indonesian monsoon (AIM) system. This meteorological phenomenon generates air currents flowing from Asia toward Australia, transporting significant moisture that results in substantial precipitation across the region. The situation was further influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation patterns, with an anticipated La Niña phase predicted to exacerbate extreme weather conditions through increased rainfall as Pacific Ocean temperatures decrease and easterly trade winds intensify.[1]
The Malaysian Meteorological Department projected between five and seven major rainfall events during the 2024 annual monsoon season in Malaysia, which typically spans from November through March. Government officials anticipated that the 2024 floods could surpass the severity of the 2014-15 monsoon season, which resulted in twenty-one fatalities and displaced more than 250,000 people in Malaysia. Weather forecasts suggested that intense precipitation expected in subsequent months could affect additional regions of the country.[2]
See main article: Cyclone Fengal. Heavy rains brought by Cyclone Fengal severely impacted Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in India, causing 20 deaths.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
See main article: Cyclone Robyn (2024). As a tropical low, Cyclone Robyn brought heavy rains to Sumatra and Java, Indonesia, killing 41 people, including 30 in North Sumatra,[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] five in Central Java,[13] [14] three in East Java,[15] [16] two in West Sumatra[17] and one in Aceh.[18]
On 29 November 2024, the Malaysian National Disaster Command Center reported that flooding had claimed three lives and necessitated the evacuation of approximately 95,000 individuals from their residences. The northeastern regions bore the brunt of the disaster, with Kelantan State, situated along the Thai border, recording the highest number of evacuees at nearly 64,000 people. The neighboring state of Terengganu experienced the second-highest displacement, with over 22,500 residents forced to abandon their homes. On 1 December 2024, 148,024 people sought refuge in emergency shelters established throughout 10 affected states: Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Kedah, and Perlis.[19] Seri Mentaloon, Menteri Besar of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's official residence, was also flooded, forcing Sanusi and family to relocate.[20]
See main article: Cyclone Fengal. In late November, Sri Lanka faced a separate weather emergency caused by a tropical depression in the southwestern Bay of Bengal. The system produced intense rainfall exceeding 100 millimeters within 24 hours, resulting in 17 fatalities.[21] The crisis forced more than 250,000 residents to evacuate. The India Meteorological Department issued warnings about the depression's potential intensification into a tropical storm, with projected movement toward the Indian mainland.
In Thailand, late November flooding disaster impacted over 135,000 households, prompting extensive emergency response efforts in both nations. Thailand's southern regions recorded rainfall exceeding 90 millimeters within a 24-hour period. The extensive flooding resulted in one fatality and the displacement of over 2,700 people.[22]
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim instituted a mandatory directive preventing cabinet ministers from taking leave, requiring their direct involvement in flood-affected regions. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who coordinated the disaster response efforts, mobilized substantial resources to manage flooding emergencies. The response infrastructure included approximately 83,000 personnel, multiple rescue vessels, off-road vehicles, and 31 helicopters. Additionally, authorities identified more than 8,400 temporary evacuation facilities capable of sheltering over two million people if necessary.