Singapore: Rising global temperatures are making storms across Asia more intense and dangerous even if the number of storms has not clearly increased scientists say.
Recent tropical storms that struck parts of Southeast and South Asia brought unusually heavy rainfall strong winds and severe flooding. Many communities faced landslides power cuts and major damage to homes roads and crops. Hundreds of people were killed and thousands were forced to flee to safer areas.
Climate researchers explain that warmer ocean waters give storms more energy. When sea temperatures rise storms can gather more moisture and release it as heavier rain. This leads to floods that arrive faster last longer and cause more destruction especially in low lying and coastal regions.
Experts note that while there is still no firm proof that climate change is creating more storms it is clearly making individual storms stronger. Higher temperatures in the air and oceans act like fuel increasing rainfall intensity and flood risk.
This year is expected to be among the warmest ever recorded. Scientists link this trend mainly to human driven climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Asia is warming faster than the global average which raises the danger of extreme weather across the region.
Beyond storms heat waves are also becoming more severe. Large cities and rural areas alike are experiencing longer periods of extreme heat that threaten health food security and livelihoods. Older people outdoor workers and children are among the most vulnerable.
According to the World Meteorological Organization higher temperatures are increasing the likelihood of multiple climate risks happening at the same time such as floods during heat waves or storms following drought. This combination makes recovery harder for communities already under pressure.
Climate experts say stronger early warning systems better urban planning and faster cuts in emissions are urgently needed. Without stronger action they warn that deadly weather events in Asia will continue to become more frequent and more severe putting millions of lives at risk.