A rare convergence of three tropical cyclones with the northeast monsoon has triggered what officials say is the worst flooding to hit South and Southeast Asia in decades. More than 1,600 people have been killed, thousands remain unaccounted for, and whole villages have disappeared under mud and rising water. Roads, bridges, and other vital infrastructure have been torn apart, hampering rescue efforts as communities wait for help. Damage across Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and other affected countries is expected to top $20 billion, with homes, transport links, factories, farmland, and tourism hubs all severely affected. Farmers lost entire harvests, coastal traders saw their shops washed away, and thousands of families already living on the margins now find themselves with nothing left to rebuild from.

The scale of the disaster reflects a dangerous mix of climate pressures. Warmer oceans are intensifying storms, while a hotter atmosphere is capable of holding and releasing far more moisture. Environmental degradation—particularly deforestation and weak flood-defence systems—has left many communities exposed: Rivers once stabilised by forest cover burst their banks with little resistance. Humanitarian groups are urging governments to strengthen early-warning systems, invest in resilient infrastructure, and prioritise long-term adaptation—all of which makes the disappointing outcomes of this year's UN climate summit even more worrying.

From The New Humanitarian, Dec. 5

See our last reports on UN climate process and the mega-storm phenomenon.