Reports link the deadly toll to climate pressures, weakened landscapes and limited resilience in affected countries

More than 1,300 people have died in floods and landslides across Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, and nearly 1,000 people remain missing, with losses of at least USD 20 billion since late last month across parts of South and Southeast Asia, according to a Bloomberg report. The events underline rising risks from climate change and extreme weather for the region’s fast-growing populations and economies.

Three tropical cyclones coincided with the northeast monsoon that typically brings heavy rainfall to Southeast Asia at this time of year. Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand have also recorded far higher than normal rainfall over the past week, based on data from the US Climate Prediction Center. The storms damaged homes, roads and rail lines, destroyed crops, inundated tourist centres and slowed factory output.

Experts quoted by Al Jazeera said climate change is most likely intensifying the impact of flooding, alongside deforestation, failures in flood-defence systems and a lack of funding for disaster resilience.

Roxy Matthew Koll, climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, told Al Jazeera, “Warmer oceans fuel stronger rain bands around tropical cyclones, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture and releases it in more intense bursts.” He said the climate pattern La Niña, which cools the eastern Pacific and warms the western Pacific, strengthens winds and pushes warm water and moisture towards Asia, resulting in heavier rainfall and higher flood risk.

Al Jazeera also reported that while the effects of heavy rainfall are evident, further research is required to understand unusual aspects of recent storms, such as possible interactions between Cyclone Senyar and Typhoon Koto.

Bloomberg quoted Davide Faranda, research director in climate physics at the French National Center for Scientific Research, as saying, “Climate change is undeniably fuelling more severe flooding in Southeast Asia.”

Bloomberg cited research firm BMI, part of Fitch Solutions, as warning that Southeast Asia faces an increasing threat of “compound disasters”, where several extreme events strike in close succession and amplify the scale of damage.