2024–2025 floods in Southeast Asia and South Asia

2024–2025 floods in Southeast Asia and South Asia

Date	November 2024 – ongoing
Location	Indonesia Malaysia Sri Lanka India Thailand
Cause	Flash flooding, landslides
Deaths	87+

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.^[2] 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.^[3]

Heavy rains brought by Cyclone Fengal severely impacted Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in India, causing 20 deaths.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}

As a tropical low, Cyclone Robyn brought heavy rains to Sumatra and Java, Indonesia, killing 41 people, including 30 in North Sumatra,^{[9][10][11][12][13]} five in Central Java,^[14][15] three in East Java,^[16][17] two in West Sumatra^[18] and one in Aceh.^[19]

On 29 November 2024, the Malaysian National Disaster Command Centre 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 neighbouring 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.^[20] Seri Mentaloon, Menteri Besar of Kedah, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor's official residence, was also flooded, forcing Sanusi and family to relocate.^[21] Ipoh, the capital of Perak, was flooded on the same day, causing officials to caution residents of oily residue and waste discharge.^[22]

A second wave of flooding on 10 December 2024, caused floods in Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Perak.^[23] On 16 December 2024, Terengganu said that they are preparing for a third wave of floods, after more heavy rains were forecast for Terengganu and Kelantan.^[24] 50m of riverbank at Kota Bharu, the capital of Kelantan, collapsed as the result of erosion.^[25]

Heavy raining in January 2025 caused a new wave of floods in Johor. Kota Tinggi was the worst affected area causing 1,174 victims to be evacuated on 12 January 2025. Other towns in Johor like Johor Bahru, Kulai, Pontian, and Kluang were also flooded.^[26][27]

In East Malaysia of Sarawak and Sabah, non-stop heavy rainfall since 27 January 2025 has caused many places inundated by floodwaters.^[28][29] Many areas in Bintulu, Serian, Siburan, Simunjan, Kuching, Bau, and Miri of Sarawak were affected by floodwaters and landslides, and 1,097 evacuees from 294 families have been placed in 14 temporary relief centres around the state.^[28] The number of evacuees increases to over 5,561 the following day, with temporary relief centres also increasing to 47.^[30] In Sabah, a total of 1,300 people from the districts of Beluran, Kota Belud, Kota Marudu, Lahad Datu, Ranau, and Telupid have been evacuated.^[31] The number of evacuees increases to 2,714 the following day, coming from several further districts such as Beaufort, Pitas, Sandakan, Tongod, and Paitan.^[32] By 06:00 am (UTC+8) of 30 January 2025, the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) of Malaysia said 7,397 victims from 2,127 families have been evacuated to 54 active temporary relief centres across both Sarawak and Sabah.^[33] Based on data gathered from 13 main meteorological stations in Sarawak, the stations recorded over 20 mm of daily rainfall, which surpassed the average monthly rainfall that subsequently contributes on the floods.^[2] By 06:00 pm on 30 January, the total evacuees in both regions had reached 10,647 people at 78 relief centres.^[34]

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 millimetres within 24 hours,^[1] resulting in 17 fatalities.^[35] 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.^[1]

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 millimetres within a 24-hour period.^[1] The extensive flooding resulted in one fatality and the displacement of over 2,700 people.^[36]

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, mobilised 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.^[3]

The Department of Social Welfare (Malaysia) [simple] (JKM), in collaboration with other disaster related agencies, has mobilised immediate aid to assist flood victims across Sarawak.^[37] The federal government, working with both Sarawak and Sabah governments and coordinating efforts to manage the flood situation in both regions, has allocated a total of RM25 million (US$5,611,672) for immediate infrastructure damage repair.^[2][38] Malaysia's Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing personally wading through floodwaters to assist affected residents in Sarawak.^[39] During his visit, the minister also pledged to avoid a recurrence of the floods by pledging to deepen the riverbeds of Sibiew and Kemena Rivers respectively.^[40]

Various Malaysian banks offer assistance to their loan and financing customers who are affected by the floods in East Malaysia.^[41][42]

• 2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods
• 2010 floods in Thailand and north Malaysia
• 2014–2015 floods in Southeast Asia and South Asia