LONDON: More than 1100 people died, and many went missing after catastrophic floods & landslides across Asia last week. Indonesia suffered the most, and Sri Lanka followed next. Thailand also suffered from serious impact. Nearly a week passed, and the situation is still under a red light even after cyclones passed due to the after-impact of flooding and wet soil landsliding. Search & Rescue operations are still underway, and even the 72-hour window of opportunity is closing or already closed for many areas.
Indoensia
Cyclone Senyar formed on the 25th of November 2025 in Southeast Asia and hit Indonesia and Thailand at its peak about the 30th of November 2025, resulting in 604 deaths and counting, along with 464 missing and counting. More than 1.5 million people are affected by cyclone weather. They deployed the military, as they are the trained professionals for disaster management on such a scale in world standards. Many people don’t realise that the military are being trained worldwide for disaster management as their designated duties.
Sri Lanka
Cyclone Ditwah formed in late November, with early warnings in mid-November, and hit Sri Lanka hard on the 28th of November 2025, resulting in record-breaking rainfall in the country. The highlands of Sri Lanka are shaken by heavy rainfall and landslides. The engineering marvel Victoria Dam, which was made by the Balfour Beatty and Edmund Nuttall British joint venture, was at its max capacity, and all automated doors were opened along with many other dams across the central highlands. Record-breaking rainfall created huge downstream across the country to flood most of its provinces except the most southern part. Indonesia and Sri Lanka were the most impacted nations by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and it seems it was repeating. More than 350 people are dead and counting, and a similar number went missing and are still counting. One of the Sri Lankan Air Force helicopters crashed, and it was a decades-old Bell 212 Midside Twin Blade Twin Engine multipurpose helicopter while on an aid-dropping mission. The commanding pilot was dead in the emergency water landing, likely due to an engine failure.
Thailand
Thailand was also affected by Koto cyclone at the same time, and already 176 people or more have died from floods and landslides. As monsoon season hits, Thailand was expecting weather impact, and yet not for a cyclone on this scale.
Koto, Senyar and Ditwah cyclones made pretty serious damage in the region, and yet all 3 aren’t qualified for at least Category 1 hurricane charts that usually start at 119 km per hour. Ditwah had 65 kmph on average, and Senyar was a bit higher than that, resulting in 85 km per hour on average.
Search & Rescue Relief & Aid services are still underway. India, Pakistan, Japan, the UAE and other neighbouring countries are already involved in assistance. More players are to join in upcoming days.
