Global warming driving extreme rainfall in Sri Lanka and Malacca Strait, report warns
Extreme rainfall events are becoming more intense in Sri Lanka and the Malacca Strait region due to global warming, according to a new study by World Weather Attribution released Wednesday, Qazinform News Agency cites Anadolu Agency.
The report highlights that densely populated areas across South and Southeast Asia face growing threats from heavy rainfall and devastating floods, following deadly disasters in November that struck Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia, killing more than 2,230 people.
In the Malacca Strait region — bordered by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore — extreme rainfall linked to rising global temperatures has increased by 9% to 50%.
In Sri Lanka, the impact is even stronger: heavy five-day precipitation events, such as those seen during Cyclonic Storm Ditwah, are now 28% to 160% more intense compared to historical averages.
In Sri Lanka, Cyclone Ditwah left 639 dead, with 203 still missing and more than 2.3 million people affected, according to the Daily Mirror.
On Indonesia’s Sumatra island, floods and landslides intensified by Cyclonic Storm Senyar killed 990 people, with 222 missing as of Thursday.
The United Nations announced a plan to provide $35.3 million in emergency assistance for Sri Lankan communities impacted by Ditwah. The program aims to reach 658,000 vulnerable people between December 2025 and April 2026.
Despite early warnings, the report noted that failures in ICT infrastructure prevented alerts from reaching many communities. Even where warnings were received, residents struggled to anticipate the scale of the floods. Language barriers, timing, and the remoteness of affected areas compounded the difficulties.
Scientists stress that global warming is amplifying extreme weather patterns, with rainfall intensity rising sharply in regions already prone to flooding. The findings underscore the urgent need for climate adaptation measures, stronger disaster preparedness, and improved communication systems to protect vulnerable populations.
Last week it was reported, rescue teams and volunteers have been struggling to assist millions of people affected by floods and landslides in parts of Asia, as the official death toll from the ongoing climate-fuelled disaster has climbed to more than 1,750 people in the worst-affected countries of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.