VOI World/ Desk
A rare and destructive cluster of cyclones has battered multiple Asian countries, leaving more than 1,100 people dead and triggering widespread flooding, landslides and devastation across Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The unusual sequence of storms coincided with the northeast monsoon, amplifying their impact across South and Southeast Asia.
Indonesia recorded the highest toll with 593 deaths, followed by 390 in Sri Lanka and 176 in Thailand. India, Malaysia and Vietnam were also affected as the storms brought intense rain and disrupted large swathes of land.
Cyclone Senyar followed an unexpected path from the Strait of Malacca across Indonesia and Malaysia, while Cyclone Ditwah formed over the Bay of Bengal before striking Sri Lanka. A third system, Cyclone Koto, developed in the northwest Pacific basin. Experts noted that the simultaneous formation of three storms under such conditions is extremely rare, caused by a combination of low-pressure systems, an active Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, and favourable atmospheric patterns.
Meteorologists highlighted that the intensity of the storms was unusual. Even though two of them weakened before landfall, they produced destructive rainfall, triggering massive flooding and landslides. The interaction of monsoonal winds and local topography further worsened the situation, as moisture-laden winds converged over mountains and river basins, causing prolonged and extreme rainfall.
Climate scientists say warming oceans played a major role in strengthening the storms. Warmer seas supply more moisture to the atmosphere, and a warmer atmosphere holds that moisture for longer periods. The result has been short but intense bursts of rainfall linked to both monsoons and cyclones.
Researchers warn that climate change has increased the severity of storms in Asia, with systems like Senyar, Ditwah and Koto now able to unleash far heavier rain over the same regions than in previous decades.
