Key facts
- Extreme rainfall and flash floods have caused widespread devastation across Asia, including Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, and Taiwan.
- At least 31 people have died and hundreds are missing in Afghanistan due to recent floods.
- Record rainfall in Bangladesh has led to the destruction of homes, poultry, and crops.
- Typhoon Noul forced the evacuation of over 890,000 people in China's Guangdong province.
- Climate scientists attribute the increased intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall events to human-caused climate change.
Extreme rainfall across Asia has led to devastating flash floods and typhoons, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. In Afghanistan, torrential rains and floods have wiped out villages, killing at least 31 people and leaving hundreds missing. Residents like Anar Gul and Sayed Afsar Sadat described unprecedented non-stop rain, leading to collapsed homes and washed-away crops, with Sadat noting such rains are becoming heavier and earlier each year.
Similar chaos has unfolded in neighboring countries. Bangladesh experienced record rainfall in Chattogram, leading to flash floods that destroyed homes, poultry, and paddy fields. Jesmin Akter recounted losing everything and surviving on food assistance, with her children sleeping on plastic sheets on wet floors amid concerns of disease.
Elsewhere, South Korea has swung between heatwaves and downpours, while Japan and Vietnam have faced landslides. China has seen significant extreme rainfall since April, with over 600 rivers exceeding warning levels. A landslide in Chongqing killed at least 11 people, and a separate flash flood in Gansu left 10 dead.
Typhoon Noul, the strongest to make landfall in China this year, prompted the evacuation of over 890,000 people in Guangdong. Earlier, Typhoon Maysak caused flooding and led to the escape of hundreds of snakes from commercial farms in Guangxi. Forecasters predict continued wet weather, with northern China expected to receive 20% to 50% more rain than usual, and four to six typhoons forecast to affect the country this summer.
Taiwan has also experienced a rise in extreme rainfall, resulting in significant agricultural losses and record monthly rainfall in Taipei. Climate scientists unequivocally link these extreme weather events to climate change, citing the increased intensity of heat, humidity, and drought. Warmer air holds more water vapor, leading to heavier rainfall, and hotter conditions drive more intense thunderstorms, according to Richard Betts of the Met Office Hadley Centre.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) highlighted these events as "very real, humanitarian effects of a changing climate." Dr. Hosam Faysal of the IFRC urged governments to increase investment in locally-led preparedness and mitigation efforts to reduce suffering before climate-related disasters occur, emphasizing that responding only after extreme needs arise will cost lives.