Catastrophic monsoon flooding has left a trail of destruction across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, with the regional death toll surpassing 500 as authorities race to reach isolated communities and recover the missing.

Across Southeast Asia, relentless rains triggered landslides, submerged entire towns, and forced mass evacuations, marking one of the region's most severe weather disasters in recent years.

Indonesia: Entire districts cut off

Sumatra has borne the brunt of the devastation. Entire districts remain cut off after torrents of mud and water wiped out roads and bridges. Officials say at least 350 people have been killed, while hundreds remain unaccounted for.

The numbers continue to rise across the island: 166 deaths in North Sumatra, 90 in West Sumatra, and 47 in Aceh, according to Suharyanto, who heads Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency. He said more than 3,500 police officers have been deployed to search for survivors and deliver aid to roughly 28,400 people sheltering in government facilities.

#Repost @geologyexploration.co
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Flood in Indonesia.#geology #science #indonesia #flood #earth #earthfocus #nature #naturelovers #planet pic.twitter.com/i6bKMBNkih

— Geology Scienceᅠᅠᅠ (@GeologyyScience) May 30, 2025

About 80,000 residents have been displaced across three provinces, and authorities are preparing cloud-seeding operations in an attempt to suppress further rainfall. Suharyanto noted that most of the week’s downpours had eased by Saturday.

Thailand: Millions displaced, PM issues apology

Thailand has seen flooding on a scale not recorded in years, with the disaster prevention department estimating that 1.4 million households, 3.8 million people, have been impacted. Water levels in places like Songkhla province surged to three metres, claiming at least 145 lives. The national death toll now stands at 162 across eight provinces, government officials confirmed.

In the hard-hit city of Hat Yai, a hospital overwhelmed by fatalities resorted to placing bodies in refrigerated trucks after its morgue exceeded capacity. 

A rescue boat carrying deceased bodies sank in a canal in Songkhla after waves hit its bow while navigating a bend. The crew grabbed life jackets and called for help over the radio before being rescued by a passing jet ski.

All rescue personnel and the bodies were safely… pic.twitter.com/HJxdXSMgNk

— Thai Enquirer (@ThaiEnquirer) November 28, 2025

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited evacuees on Friday, acknowledging that the state had fallen short in its preparations and response. 

"I really have to apologize to them for letting this happen during the time I am in government," he said in comments aired by AmarinTV. "The next step is to prevent the situation from deteriorating." He announced a two-week timeline for cleanup operations in the district.

Authorities have introduced relief measures, including compensation of up to 2 million baht (about $62,000) for families who lost loved ones.

Thailand's Emergency Flood Operations Center reports 145 deaths from southern floods as of 28 November. Songkhla province hardest hit with 110 fatalities. The government now classifies all deaths as flood-related, without separating causes. pic.twitter.com/ozXhzzQzdz

— PR Thai Government (@prdthailand) November 28, 2025

Voices from the ground

Local anger is mounting, and two officials have been suspended as public scrutiny intensifies. An opposition MP accused the government of having "wrongly estimated the situation" and committing "errors in handling the flood crisis."

Survivors continue to recount harrowing escapes. Amphorn Kaeophengkro, who endured the deluge in Hat Yai, told Reuters that she and seven family members spent 48 hours balancing on a table, a window frame, and a washing machine after their home flooded with record rainfall.

"We weren't thinking about anything else except surviving," she said by candlelight as they began clearing the mud left behind.

Malaysia: Smaller but serious impact

Northern Malaysia also endured destructive flooding, with two deaths confirmed and entire stretches of Perlis left underwater after intense rainfall swamped drainage systems and roads.

𝗕𝗔𝗡𝗝𝗜𝗥: 𝗕𝗘𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗔 𝗝𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗜 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦 𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗧𝗨𝗣 𝗦𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗔 #Kangar Beberapa jalan di Perlis ditutup sementara kerana terjejas dengan banjir yang melanda negeri itu berikutan hujan berterusan sejak semalam.

Timbalan Ketua Polis Perlis SAC Mohd… pic.twitter.com/UOEUZgpy35

— BERNAMA (@bernamadotcom) November 24, 2025

Climate crisis sharpening disaster

Meteorologists warn that a combination of monsoon activity and a strengthening tropical storm has dramatically amplified rainfall levels this season. Scientists note that climate change is reshaping monsoon behavior, increasing the likelihood of powerful storms, prolonged downpours, and sudden landslides.

This week's devastation is among the deadliest flooding events in Indonesia and Thailand in recent years, underscoring the region's growing vulnerability to climate-linked disasters.

Read more: Sri Lanka flood, landslides toll rises to 123: official