Image from The Nation Thailand/ANN
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand): While much of Asia and South-East Asia are prone to seasonal flooding, statistics show that inundations have been particularly high in 2024.
Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters around the world as evidenced by the severe flooding that has impacted several countries this year alone.
According to World Bank data from 2020, around 1.47 billion people or about 19% of the global population. face significant risks of severe flooding from rivers, heavy rainfall, or coastal erosion, with 89% of those at risk residing in low- to middle-income countries.
The majority of those vulnerable to flooding—about 1.36 billion people—live in South and South-East Asia, with 329 million in China and 225 million in India, making up more than one-third of the world’s flood-prone population.
In 2024, nine out of the top 10 countries most at risk of river flooding are in Asia, particularly in the southern and eastern regions of the continent. Southeast Asia, with its low-lying terrain, frequent tropical storms, heavy rains, long monsoon seasons, and underdeveloped flood protection infrastructure, is especially prone to frequent and severe flooding.
Climate change is also impacting the frequency and intensity of these events, with an estimated 30% increase in flood-affected populations if global temperatures rise by 2°C.
According to Statista’s March 2024 survey on flood risk, based on the approximate number of people affected by annual floods, the risk index ranges from 0 to 10 (higher scores indicate higher risk). The countries with the highest flood risk are Vietnam, Egypt and Bangladesh (risk index 9.9); Thailand (9.8); Iraq (9.6); Pakistan (9.5); China (9.3); India (9.2); Myanmar (8.8); and Cambodia (8.7).
Since mid-2024, Thailand has faced intense flooding due to the ongoing rainy season, especially in the northern region, with some parts of the south also affected.
Total rainfall from January to August was 5% above the average for this period and the amount of rainfall from August to October is expected to exceed the average, with the central region (including Bangkok) projected to receive 800-900 mm, compared to the normal average of 782 mm, with the northern and central regions experiencing the most severe flooding as the lower northern region serves as a channel directing rainfall toward the sea.
The economic impacts are significant, with flooding expected to affect 8.6 million rai (1.38 million hectares) of agricultural land this year, causing property and asset damage of 3.1 billion baht and agricultural production losses worth 43.4 billion baht.
The total economic impact could reach 46.5 billion baht, reducing annual GDP by 0.27%. - The Nation Thailand/ANN
