The death toll from devastating floods across Southeast Asia climbed to at least 183 people on Friday (28 November). Authorities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka struggle to rescue stranded residents, restore power and communications, and deliver aid to cut-off communities.
Indonesia has been the worst affected, with 94 deaths confirmed on Sumatra, where cyclone-driven torrential rains and a rare tropical storm over the Malacca Strait have inundated entire districts since last week.
In Padang Pariaman alone, 22 people perished to floods, and many neighbourhoods remained under at least one metre of water. Some residents reported running out of food and supplies as search and rescue teams were unable to reach isolated areas due to blocked roads and ongoing communication outages.
Officials said airlifts would continue throughout Friday to deliver aid and deploy more rescuers.
Thailand reported at least 94 fatalities, 55 of which occured in the southern province of Songkhla. Although rain stopped in the regional hub of Hat Yai on Friday, floodwaters still reached residents’ ankles, and large parts of the city remained without electricity.
At an indoor basketball arena repurposed as an evacuation centre, 70-year-old Kritchawat Sothiananthakul tearfully described how he waited with his dog to be rescued, as floodwaters in his Hat Yai home rose relentlessly.
"We had to climb down from the roof, get into the boat," he said. "I needed to carry it and then get onto a truck... We had to leave everything because everything was submerged."
Thai meteorologists described the deluge as the most severe in 15 years, noting that Hat Yai recorded 335 mm (13 inches) of rain on Friday — the city’s highest single-day total in three centuries.
In Sri Lanka, authorities confirmed 46 deaths linked to the same weather system, which brought destructive winds and flooding to the island nation.
Malaysia reported two deaths and widespread displacement as tropical storm Senyar made landfall shortly after midnight before weakening. Meteorologists warned that heavy rain, strong winds and hazardous sea conditions remained likely.
One of the residents forced to leave her home due to flooding, NorZafilini Al-Zakiri, 35, has had to deal with the natural disaster just weeks after giving birth to her third child.
"With the baby and kids, we're so scared because we need to keep them safe, but I fight my fears and slowly rebuild here,” Al-Zakiri told Reuters.
More than 30,000 evacuees were still sheltering in relief centres on Friday, down from 34,000 the day before.
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said it had evacuated 1,459 citizens from more than 25 flood-affected hotels in Thailand and was working to rescue the remaining 300 Malaysians still stranded in inundated areas.
Five people have died after a mine shaft collapsed during an illegal mining operation in southwestern China, state media reported on Sunday (31 May), ...
The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football team retained its Champions League title at Puskás Aréna in Budapest on Saturday night, after overcoming A...
U.S. rapper Kanye West, now known as Ye, performed to a crowd of 118,000 people in Istanbul on Saturday night, marking his first concert in Europe in ...
Thousands of people gathered across Colombo on Saturday night (30 May) as Sri Lanka's capital came alive with light and colour for Vesak, one of the m...
The World Health Organisation’s designation of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is ...
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
Climate change has driven a record surge in wildfires across Africa, Asia and other regions this year, with scientists warning that conditions are likely to worsen further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño weather patterns intensify.
Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand’s billionaire former prime minister, has been released on parole from prison on Monday (11 May). Shinawatra served part of an eight-month sentence that capped years of legal battles, political turmoil and controversy surrounding his return from exile.
A group of Azerbaijani civil society organisations has called for increased scrutiny of Swiss building materials giant Holcim, citing court rulings and ongoing investigations linked to its subsidiary Lafarge's activities during the Syrian conflict.
Iranian-made Yassin missiles were spotted mounted on Armenian Air Force fighter aircraft during Armenia's latest military parade on Thursday (28 May), drawing attention from defence observers and regional analysts.
The Philippines remains under a "severe threat" from China despite recent efforts by Washington and Beijing to ease tensions, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Saturday (30 May).
Thai rescuers say five people have been pulled alive from a flooded cave in remote Laos, where seven villagers became trapped after heavy rain cut off access underground.
Russia has recalled its ambassador to Armenia for consultations, citing Yerevan's growing rapprochement with the European Union. The move is seen as the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the longtime allies ahead of Armenia's parliamentary election on 7 June.
As climate pressures and urbanisation accelerate worldwide, governments are increasingly investing in smart cities and villages to build more sustainable and resilient communities. Across the world, digital technologies are reshaping how cities and rural areas are planned and managed.
The UK is experiencing potentially record-breaking temperatures after forecasters confirmed some areas reached highs close to 34°C on Monday.
More than 100 people were killed in a violent storm that battered India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with rain and hail, the state Disaster Management and Relief office said on Thursday.
Climate change has driven a record surge in wildfires across Africa, Asia and other regions this year, with scientists warning that conditions are likely to worsen further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño weather patterns intensify.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment