Severe floods and landslides triggered by Cyclone Senyar, Cyclone Ditwah, and Typhoon Koto have killed at least 1,250 people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, leaving many more missing. Record-breaking rainfall caused rivers to overflow and landslides, devastating communities and infrastructure. Experts link the storms’ intensity to climate change, with warmer oceans fueling heavier precipitation. Over a million people in Sri Lanka alone have been displaced, while emergency services struggle to provide aid. Authorities are mobilizing rescue operations amid warnings of continued rain, highlighting one of the deadliest flood events in recent history. (PC: Reuters)

The air quality in New Delhi has sharply deteriorated as a thick haze blankets the city, pushing the Air Quality Index (AQI) to around 376 early Wednesday, placing it on the cusp of the “severe” category. Some hotspots like Chandni Chowk (431), Jahangirpuri (406) and the area near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (405) have already crossed the 400-AQI threshold. The smog is attributed to stagnant winds, low mixing heights and accumulating pollutants from traffic, industry and regional sources. Health officials warn that prolonged exposure at these levels can cause serious respiratory and cardiovascular issues, especially for vulnerable groups. (PC: ANI)

Cyclones Senyar and Ditwah have triggered catastrophic floods and landslides across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, killing over 1,250 people with more than 800 still missing. Indonesia suffered the highest toll with 659 deaths and 475 missing, particularly on Sumatra island where rescue operations face collapsed bridges and washed-out roads. Sri Lanka reported 410 deaths and 352 missing as Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread devastation, with military teams struggling to access affected areas. Thailand recorded 181 fatalities, affecting 3.9 million people across 1.5 million households. Emergency crews race against time and worsening weather to reach survivors. Authorities warn conditions could deteriorate with more rain forecasted across the region. (PC: Hindustan Times)

Delhi’s air quality slipped back to the ‘very poor’ zone on Monday with an AQI of 304, after showing minor relief on Sunday. The city had recorded a ‘poor’ AQI of 279 for the first time since November 5. Before that, Delhi saw 24 straight days of very polluted air. CPCB data showed rising pollution levels again through the day. Transport emissions made up about 20% of the pollution on Monday. November ended with an average AQI of 357, with no ‘good’ or ‘moderate’ days. Cold conditions also tightened, as the minimum temperature dipped to 5.7°C. (PC: NDTV)

Two rare storms, Cyclone Senyar and Cyclone Ditwah, have caused massive destruction across Southeast Asia. More than 1,000 people have died, and thousands have lost their homes in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and parts of India. Senyar brought record floods and landslides to Indonesia and Thailand, blocking roads and cutting power. Ditwah hit Sri Lanka with heavy rain and flash floods, causing hundreds of deaths and leaving many missing. India’s Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh saw strong rain but limited damage. Rescue teams are struggling to reach remote areas as officials warn that more rain may follow. (PC. HT)

Mumbai has enforced the strictest GRAP-4 pollution control measures after air quality in areas like Mazgaon, Deonar, Malad, Borivali East, Powai, and Mulund reached ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ levels. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has halted construction and dust-generating activities at over 50 sites. Small industries must switch to cleaner processes or face action. Flying squads with engineers, police, and GPS-tracked vehicles are monitoring emissions. Residents report breathing problems and sore throats. Celebrities and local politicians have called for urgent action. The BMC plans a ‘Clean Air Action Plan’ including tree planting, stricter norms, and round-the-clock pollution monitoring. (PC: NDTV)

Cyclone Ditwah weakened into a deep depression on Monday as it moved close to the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts. Heavy to very heavy rain hit Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Vellore. Strong winds of up to 70 kmph caused rough seas and local flooding. Three people died in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu. Before reaching India’s coast, the storm caused major destruction in Sri Lanka, killing 334 people and leaving nearly 370 missing. Over 20,000 homes were damaged there. India evacuated more than 400 stranded citizens from Colombo and continues to assist Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu. (PC: HT)

Delhi saw slight relief from pollution on Monday as strong northwesterly winds pushed the city’s air quality into the ‘poor’ category after 24 days of ‘very poor’ levels. The overall AQI stood at 300 at 8:05 am, up from 279 on Sunday. Nehru Nagar recorded the worst AQI at 354, while NSIT Dwarka had the best at 202. Experts said steady winds helped clear pollutants across Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana. However, the cold tightened its grip. Safdarjung recorded a minimum temperature of 5.7°C, the lowest of the season and the lowest November reading since 2022. (PC: HT)

Devastating floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains and a tropical storm have killed more than 900 people across Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. Sri Lanka has recorded 334 deaths, its worst disaster since the 2004 tsunami, with large parts of Colombo submerged and 148,000 people displaced. Indonesia reported over 442 deaths and 402 missing as remote areas of Sumatra remain cut off, forcing survivors to shelter in makeshift tents. Thailand confirmed at least 162 deaths amid rising criticism of its flood response. Rescue efforts are hampered by damaged roads, communication breakdowns and severe weather, raising fears of a further rise in casualties. (PC: Reuters)

The cyclone has weakened into a deep depression about 30 km off the north-coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In Sri Lanka the storm left at least 334 people dead and around 370 missing, destroying nearly 20,000 homes and forcing over 100,000 into shelters. In Tamil Nadu, heavy rains and gusty winds of 60-80 km/h triggered the deaths of three people in rain-related incidents; authorities issued alerts for coastal districts including Chennai, Kanchipuram and Vellore. Emergency teams from disaster relief units are on standby and over 400 stranded Indians were evacuated from Sri Lanka via air.