Typhoon Yagi - the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year - unleashed relentless winds and torrential rains, triggering widespread flooding in Myanmar, Laos, and Bangladesh. It washed away homes and destroyed agricultural fields, making life even harder for communities already dealing with food insecurity. Currently there are thousands of people in need of humanitarian assistance across the region.
"Every storm, every flood is a stark reminder of the human cost of climate inaction," said John Aylieff, WFP's Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. "The latest surge of storms has impacted countless people, pushing already vulnerable communities into desperation. We are combining our rapid assistance with longer-term development support to ensure that people don't just survive but rebuild their lives and livelihoods".
In war-torn Myanmar, recent the flooding has caused hundreds of deaths and affected more than 630,000 people. An estimated 2.7 million acres of farmland has been inundated, hitting the food security of the country, where more than 13 million people were hungry even before the floods hit. In response, WFP has launched an emergency food response for half a million affected people, which is a major scale-up in WFP's flood response ongoing since July.
"The impact of Typhoon Yagi is the most disastrous in Myanmar, a country already dealing with conflict and high food insecurity - it just can't afford another disaster. The people of Myanmar need every support they can get from the international community", said Sheela Matthew, WFP Representative in Myanmar.
In Laos, the tropical typhoon triggered heavy rains and landslides, affecting 50,000 people mainly in the northern and central provinces. In response, WFP teams are on the ground helping the Government and partners assess needs and over the coming days, 100 metric tonnes of rice will be distributed to affected families in the northwestern Luang Namtha province.
"As the impacts continue to ripple across vast areas of Laos, we are working with our partners and the Government to ensure that these communities are able to bounce back better. In such vulnerable areas, every bit of support can make the difference between recovery and a deeper crisis," said Marc-André Prost, WFP Representative and Country Director in Laos.
While Bangladesh was spared a direct hit from Typhoon Yagi, torrential rains from the storm caused a wave of floods and landslides in Cox's Bazaar. This comes after consecutive crises - Cyclone Remal in May, floods in Sylhet and Jamuna basin in June and July, and in eastern regions in August - that have affected some 20 million people across Bangladesh. WFP has provided a timely response, including anticipatory cash assistance ahead of Cyclone Remal and the Jamuna basin floods, followed by unconditional cash transfers and cash-for-work schemes to help rebuild damaged key infrastructure.
"Over the past few months, Bangladesh has been confronted with one disaster after another. Many communities had never experienced flooding of this scale and were completely unprepared," said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh. "WFP's response has been swift and comprehensive. The combined food, cash and livelihood support not only addresses the immediate needs but also promotes local economic recovery."
Asia-Pacific is facing an alarming rise in the number of floods, severe storms and torrential rains wreaking havoc from the Philippines to Afghanistan. The region remains on high alert for tropical storms projected over the coming months. Without urgent support and a collective global response, millions more will face the devastating impacts of a climate emergency that shows no signs of abating.
