Southeast Asia floods death toll climbs above 300 while authorities race to restore access and locate missing residents.
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| This aerial photo shows a bridge damaged by flash floods on the main road linking Aceh and North Sumatra in Meureudu, Pidie Jaya district, Aceh province, Indonesia, on November 28, 2025. Photo by Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty Images |
The Southeast Asia floods death toll climbed sharply on Friday as authorities across the region continued facing the aftermath of a week-long storm system that brought unusually intense rain, widespread flooding, landslides, and severe infrastructure damage. As waters began to recede in several areas, officials intensified rescue operations, restored limited communications in high-risk zones, and warned that casualty figures could rise further as access improves and missing-person searches expand. The rising Southeast Asia floods death toll has placed unprecedented strain on local emergency agencies, many of which have been working continuously since the first cyclone-driven rainfall hit the region.
Much of Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia has been battered by nearly a week of cyclone-fuelled storms, including a rare tropical system that formed over the Malacca Strait. This unusual weather pattern resulted in catastrophic flooding across multiple provinces, isolating communities, cutting off electricity, and overwhelming early-response teams. As a consequence, the Southeast Asia floods death toll has continued to increase nearly every day, with authorities cautioning that full assessments are still days away due to ongoing challenges on the ground.
Adding to the regional strain, Sri Lankan authorities reported that another 46 people were killed in the island nation as the same cyclone system swept westward across the Indian Ocean. With these new deaths included, the broader chain of storms has left hundreds dead and displaced tens of thousands in a crisis affecting communities across South and Southeast Asia.
Indonesia faces the highest losses
Indonesia has borne the brunt of the disaster, particularly on Sumatra island, where the death toll has surged in the past 24 hours. Suharyanto, the head of Indonesia's national disaster mitigation agency, confirmed on Friday that 174 people had been found dead in various parts of Sumatra, making Indonesia the most severely affected nation in terms of total fatalities. He warned that the number could continue to increase, given that 79 people remain missing and many remote areas remain cut off.
Although rainfall had eased by Friday, authorities stressed that flood waters remained dangerously high in several districts, complicating rescue operations and limiting helicopter landings. At the same time, thousands of families in low-lying and landslide-prone areas have been displaced, seeking temporary shelter amid concerns about sanitation, food availability, and disease.
In Padang Pariaman, one of the hardest-hit regions, residents found themselves surrounded by flood waters as deep as one meter. Search-and-rescue teams had still not reached several neighborhoods by Friday afternoon. According to local accounts, many households were surviving on dwindling food supplies as they waited for help to arrive.
“We’re running out of supplies and food,” said Muhammad Rais, a 40-year-old resident who described how rising waters forced him and his family to move to the second floor of their home. He said he had not seen rescue teams since the storm first hit, and worried that isolated communities were now facing increasingly dire conditions.
In the northern Sumatran town of Batang Toru, the struggle to manage the rising Southeast Asia floods death toll was especially visible. On Friday, residents and local officials buried seven unclaimed victims in a mass grave, marking one of the most somber scenes in the disaster response effort. The seven bodies, which had already begun decomposing, were wrapped in black plastic and lifted from the back of a truck before being laid to rest in a large plot of land belonging to a state-owned plantation company.
Residents gathered at the site described a strong stench as they attempted to carry out the burial with dignity. With no functioning morgue available and communications in the region still down, authorities said they had no choice but to proceed with the mass burial to prevent further health risks.
Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, told reporters that power outages, collapsed bridges, and landslide debris continued to block access to several affected zones. He said the government was deploying helicopters to airlift supplies and rescue personnel into isolated communities, though challenging terrain and uncertain weather conditions had slowed progress.
Thailand reports severe losses as tourists evacuated
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| People wade through floodwaters as residents are evacuated by boat in Hat Yai, Songkhla province, southern Thailand, on November 25, 2025, after days of heavy rain triggered severe flooding that affected thousands. Photo by Arnun Chonmahatrakool/AFP/Getty Images |
Thailand also reported a steep rise in its own casualties. The Thai government confirmed on Friday that 145 people had been killed across eight southern provinces, regions known for tourism, agriculture, and fishing. Officials said that more than 3.5 million residents had been affected in some capacity, whether through flooding of homes, destruction of farmland, or prolonged transportation failures.
In Hat Yai, the largest city in southern Thailand and one of the worst-hit urban areas, residents described a week of relentless rain that left neighborhoods underwater and forced thousands to flee to higher ground. While the rain finally stopped on Friday, the flood waters remained ankle deep in many places, and extensive power outages persisted throughout the city.
Several residents said the damage would take months, or even years, to repair. One shop owner said she had “lost everything” as her ground-floor business was completely destroyed. Others noted that even those spared the worst flooding had been stranded due to impassable roads.
“It affects everything for us, in every way,” said 52-year-old Somporn Petchtae. “My place wasn’t flooded, but I was stuck like I was on an island because I couldn’t go anywhere. All the roads were closed.”
Malaysia grapples with storm Senyar and mass evacuations
In neighboring Malaysia, the impact was less deadly but still severe. Authorities confirmed two deaths linked to the flooding, though they warned that the number could rise as assessments continue. Tropical Storm Senyar made landfall around midnight before weakening, but meteorologists emphasized that more heavy rain and strong winds were expected in several regions.
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| This aerial view shows a home surrounded by floodwaters in Kangar, Perlis state, northern Malaysia, on November 28, 2025, as severe flooding impacted thousands of residents after days of heavy rain. Photo by Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images |
Malaysia reported that 30,000 evacuees continued to stay in emergency shelters, down slightly from 34,000 the previous day. Flooding had blocked numerous rural roads and caused damage to agricultural land, raising concerns about short-term food supply in several regions.
Malaysia’s foreign ministry said it had evacuated 1,459 Malaysian citizens who had been stranded in more than 25 hotels in Thailand. About 300 Malaysians remained trapped in flood-affected zones, and officials were coordinating with Thai authorities to rescue them.
The growing Southeast Asia floods death toll reflects the scale of the climatic event, which has left a trail of destruction across several countries. While the storm system has begun to weaken, authorities say the humanitarian situation remains critical. Concerns include the risk of disease outbreaks, food shortages in isolated areas, and long-term displacement.
Humanitarian agencies are preparing additional support for the coming weeks, predicting that many families will be unable to return to their homes due to structural damage or ongoing landslide threats. Local governments are also evaluating long-term infrastructure vulnerabilities, as scientists have warned that extreme weather events such as this could become more frequent due to climate change.
With hundreds dead, tens of thousands displaced, and entire regions facing a slow and uncertain recovery, the Southeast Asia floods death toll is likely to shape disaster management discussions across the region for months to come.
