This aerial photo taken on November 26, 2025 shows flood waters submerging vehicles in Hat Yai in Thailand’s southern Songkhla province, as severe flooding affected thousands of people in the country’s south following days of heavy rain. Tens of thousands of people in Thailand and neighbouring Malaysia were displaced by widespread flooding, with streets submerged, homes inundated and at least 34 dead, officials said November 26. From the fires that devastated Los Angeles to deadly earthquakes in Myanmar and Afghanistan, a selection of events recalls the tragic disasters that defined 2025.
Extreme weather defined many of the top disasters in 2025, including Hurricane Melissa – the strongest storm of the year and one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. Even before the year’s end, extreme-weather-related crises continued, such as the devastating floods in Southeast Asia, which claimed more than 1,000 lives.
