Tropical Cyclone Senyar leaves over 1 000 dead, millions affected across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia
Over 1 000 people have died and hundreds remain missing on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, after rare Tropical Cyclone Senyar brought severe flooding and landslides across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Flooded farmlands in Aceh, Indonesia due to Tropical Cyclone Senyar. Credit: BNPB
Senyar was a very rare cyclone, being only the second known system to form over the Strait of Malacca after Cyclone Vamei (2001). Like Vamei, Senyar was compact but well-organized, confirming that although extremely rare, equatorial tropical cyclones can occur under brief favorable conditions.
It formed from a low-pressure area that developed over the Strait of Malacca on November 22. It was the thirteenth tropical depression and third cyclonic storm of the 2025 North Indian Ocean cyclone season.
The disturbance intensified into a depression and deep depression on November 25 before reaching cyclonic-storm strength on November 26.
Senyar made landfall on northern Sumatra near midnight local time on November 26, then paralleled the Sumatran coast while weakening slightly before making a second landfall in Peninsular Malaysia between Selangor and Negeri Sembilan around 00:30 local time on November 28.
After crossing the Strait, Senyar brought severe weather to Peninsular Malaysia. MetMalaysia reported widespread flooding in Perak, Kedah, Kelantan, and Penang, along with coastal inundation and rough seas along the west coast. Although wind speeds had weakened, persistent rainfall caused significant river flooding and road closures.
The remnant circulation then moved over southern Thailand, where it maintained strong convective bands. Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported heavy flooding and landslides across at least 10 provinces, particularly Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Although Senyar lost tropical-storm characteristics, its remnants continued to bring periods of heavy rain to parts of northern Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, and southern Thailand for days.
The storm has reportedly caused over 1 000 fatalities across Southeast Asia since last month, triggering heavy rains, floods, and landslides in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
At least 753 deaths, more than 2 600 injuries, and 504 missing persons were reported in Indonesia, all of them in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces, as well as 3.2 million people affected.
At least 293 deaths were reported in North Sumatra, 181 in West Sumatra, and 173 in Aceh. The causes of death varied from flooding and landslides to electrocution from downed power lines.
Thailand recorded 267 fatalities and 102 injuries across 14 provinces — including 200 deaths in Songkhla alone — while Malaysia reported three deaths.
Flooding in Thailand affected 3.6 million people in 1.2 million homes and caused flooding in 20 provinces, mainly in the country’s south. Of the 267 officially confirmed deaths, around 200 were reported in Songkhla Province alone, which declared a disaster zone due to the cyclone.
Meanwhile, rescue operatives in Thailand reported that there may have been more than 1 000 fatalities in Songkhla. Mr. Chaiyanat Dejdejcho, Member of Parliament for Nakhon Si Thammarat and Deputy Leader of the Democrat Party responsible for the southern region, criticized the government for underreporting deaths, reported Amarin TV. The local government has not released a statement on the allegations as of Tuesday.
Police Brigadier General Surachet Hakpal, former Deputy Commander of the Royal Thai Police, also released multiple statements regarding the alleged underreporting. He said he has made several requests for the government to release the actual number and specific locations where bodies were found so that families could confirm missing relatives.
In earlier statements, Hakpal confirmed at least 550 fatalities but also added that the total could exceed 1 000 once all bodies are recovered.
Meanwhile, at least three deaths were reported in Malaysia due to flooding triggered by the storm, which forced over 34 000 people to evacuate.
References:
1 A consequence of watershed destruction…: Death toll surges to 753 in Indonesia – The Telegraph – December 2, 2025
2 More than 1,300 dead from floods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand as rescue efforts intensify – AP – December 2, 2025
3 Exceptionally rare Tropical Cyclone Senyar kills more than 300 across Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand – The Watchers – December 2, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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