29-11-2025 (BANGKOK) The death toll from widespread flooding across Southeast Asia rose to at least 321 on Friday, as authorities in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia raced to reach stranded communities, restore power and communications, and begin large-scale cleanup operations, according to updates first reported by Reuters.
Indonesia remains the worst hit, with officials confirming 174 deaths on Sumatra island and nearly 80 people still missing. Entire towns remain inundated after a week of cyclone-driven torrential rain, leaving thousands displaced and some areas still inaccessible. In Padang Pariaman, residents reported dwindling food supplies as rescue teams struggled to navigate metre-deep waters. Communications outages and landslide debris continue to hamper response efforts, prompting ongoing airlifts of aid.
Thailand has reported 145 deaths across eight southern provinces, with Hat Yai suffering some of the worst flooding in a decade. Morgues exceeded capacity this week, forcing authorities to use refrigerated trucks to store bodies. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who toured evacuation centres on Friday, apologised for the devastation and pledged a full cleanup within two weeks. Public criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis has mounted, leading to the suspension of two local officials.
Malaysia, where two people have died and more than 30,000 evacuees remain in shelters, continues to brace for heavy rain and rough seas even as tropical storm Senyar weakens. Kuala Lumpur has evacuated over 1,400 citizens stranded in flood-hit areas of Thailand and is working to reach hundreds more.
With waters slowly receding, authorities across the region are now shifting attention to recovery, the search for missing victims, and assessments of long-term damage.
