Climate Change Fuels Deadly Floods and Rainfall in Asia

Dec 14, 2025, 7:55 PM

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A recent analysis has identified that ocean temperatures, warmed by human-caused climate change, significantly contributed to the intense rainfall that triggered devastating floods and landslides across Asia in recent weeks. The study, conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), focused on the heavy rainfall associated with cyclones Senyar and Ditwah, which impacted Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka starting late last month.

The catastrophic effects of these storms have been profound, resulting in the deaths of over 1,600 individuals, with hundreds more reported missing. This series of cyclones is part of a troubling trend of deadly weather events that have plagued Southeast Asia throughout the year, causing significant loss of life and extensive property damage.

Shanmugavadivu Arunachalam, a schoolteacher from Hatton in Sri Lanka, expressed the severity of the situation, stating, "It rains a lot here but never like this. Usually, rain stops around September but this year it has been really bad." She noted that every region of Sri Lanka has been affected, with her area experiencing the worst impacts.

The WWA researchers found that sea surface temperatures over the North Indian Ocean were 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average for the past three decades. They concluded that without the influence of global warming, these temperatures would have been approximately 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) colder. The elevated ocean temperatures provided additional heat and moisture, which intensified the cyclones.

Currently, the world is about 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than the global average during pre-industrial times, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Mariam Zachariah, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, explained, "When the atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture. As a result, it rains more in a warmer atmosphere as compared to a world without climate change."@ [0].

The WWA employs peer-reviewed methods to conduct rapid studies linking extreme weather events to climate change. Zachariah emphasized the importance of their timely analyses, stating, "We want people everywhere to know about why something happened in their neighborhood." This approach aims to raise awareness of the broader implications of climate change on global weather patterns.

While the WWA often estimates the extent to which climate change exacerbates disasters, they noted limitations in climate models for the affected islands prevented them from precisely quantifying its contribution to the recent storms.

Experts like Jemilah Mahmood from the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health have described global warming as a "powerful amplifier" of extreme weather events, including floods, typhoons, and landslides that have affected Asia this year. She highlighted that economic development has often been prioritized over climate stability, leading to an "accumulated planetary debt" that has exacerbated the current crisis.

The analysis revealed that rapid urbanization, high population density, and infrastructure situated in low-lying flood plains have increased the vulnerability of affected regions to flooding. Maja Vahlberg, a technical adviser with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, remarked on the staggering human toll of cyclones Ditwah and Senyar, noting that it is often the most vulnerable populations who bear the brunt of such disasters and face the longest recovery periods.

As the impacts of climate change continue to unfold, the urgent need for sustainable development practices and climate resilience strategies becomes increasingly apparent. The recent cyclones serve as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of climate change and extreme weather, underscoring the necessity for global action to mitigate these effects and protect vulnerable communities.

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