1000 people killed by floods in South and Southeast Asia

Catastrophic flooding has struck South and Southeast Asia, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 individuals. Experts warn that climate change is likely to increase both the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events.

Two tropical storms have caused some of the regions worst floods in recent years. In Indonesia, the confirmed death toll has reached 502, while hundreds more have lost their lives in Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Southern Thailands Hat Yai experienced an unprecedented 335 mm (13 inches) of rainfall in just 24 hours, marking the highest daily total in 300 years, according to the BBC. This record-breaking rain was driven by a rare cyclone forming in the Malacca Strait.

The United Nations reported that approximately one million people in Sri Lanka have been affected by a separate storm in the Bay of Bengal, leaving many displaced or without access to food and clean water.

Author: Sophia Brooks