Southeast Asia Floods Kill Over 250, Thousands Displaced

Devastating floods across Southeast Asia have killed more than 250 people in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, authorities said on Friday.

Heavy monsoon rains combined with a tropical storm system inundated vast areas, leaving residents stranded on rooftops and cutting off entire communities.

In Indonesia, officials struggled to reach the worst-affected areas on Sumatra island. In West Sumatra, 53-year-old Misniati recounted her terrifying battle against rising waters. Returning from early-morning prayers at a mosque, she found streets flooded and water rapidly reaching her home. “We didn’t sleep at all last night, we just monitored the water,” she said.

Authorities reported at least 111 deaths and nearly 100 people missing across Sumatra due to flooding and landslides. North Sumatra police spokesman Ferry Walintukan said rescue efforts were ongoing, though access and communications remained limited. In Aceh province, receding waters left mud burying cars up to their windows and stranded vehicles in debris. Officials warned that more rain is expected, though intensity may ease.

Southern Thailand was among the hardest-hit areas. Floodwaters forced residents of Hat Yai to cling to rooftops awaiting rescue by boat. At least 145 people have died across the southern provinces, with the majority in Songkhla. Hospitals, including Songklanagarind, reported morgue capacity exceeded and relied on refrigerated trucks to store bodies. Two local officials have been suspended amid criticism of the emergency response.

Residents described rapid water rises. Shop owner Chayaphol Promkleng returned to find his business submerged to waist level. “There was nothing I could do. I left the shop to save my life,” he said.

In Malaysia, floods killed two people in northern Perlis state, where communities remained under water.

Experts warn that climate change has intensified storm patterns, making monsoons heavier and more destructive. Renard Siew, climate advisor to the Centre for Governance and Political Studies in Malaysia, said, “Extreme weather events will continue to worsen as temperatures increase. That is exactly what we have been seeing.”

The floods in Indonesia and Thailand are among the deadliest in recent years, underscoring the growing human toll from increasingly severe weather across the region.