La Nina, monsoon brew up perfect storm for Southeast Asia

Storms uprooted trees and ripped roofs across Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur on Monday night, as forecasters warned of a potentially dangerous collision between the seasonal monsoon and La Nina climate phenomenon that could dump more rains over the coming weeks.

The northeast monsoon brings heavy rains and strong winds to Malaysia all the way through March, while La Nina – a Pacific Ocean climate pattern – amplifies rainfall, compounding the power of storms to hit the region.

The Meteorological Department of Malaysia on Monday said that Super Typhoon Ragasa, which was headed for Hong Kong, was causing waves as high as 3.5 metres (11 feet) across the South China Sea. It warned of risks to fishers and other small boats.

“We are maintaining a strong wind and rough seas warning which remains in effect until September 26,” the department said on Monday.

The impact of the climate crisis, with heavier rains, more powerful storms and longer droughts, is being felt sharply across Southeast Asia.