Two tropical cyclones have barreled through Asia, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people in the Philippines and India.

Severe tropical storm Trami (local name Kristine) triggered heavy rainfall as it made landfall in the Philippines in the early hours of Oct. 24. It caused widespread flooding and landslides as it rampaged through the country, leaving at least 46 people dead as of the morning of Oct. 25. Many casualties were people who drowned in badly hit provinces.

A government report said 3.3 million people are affected, with almost half a million people forced to seek shelter in evacuation centers or with family and friends. Hundreds of cities and towns experienced power interruptions and thousands of port passengers were stranded.

The latest government weather bulletin as of 5 p.m. on Oct. 25 showed that Trami has sustained winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour (59 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 115 kph (32 mph). It exited the Philippines on Oct. 25 afternoon, but the state weather bureau said Trami might “loop” over the sea west of the Philippines on Oct. 27 and 28 and possibly return to land, depending on the behavior of a tropical cyclone east of the country.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a speech on Oct. 25 promised assistance for those affected by the storm. “Unfortunately, Kristine is just a sample of how frequent our storms and cyclones have become. [Intense cyclones] used to be a hundred-year occurrence [but are] now happening at greater frequency and ferocity due to climate change,” he said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources also wrote that the storm “underscore[s] the links between climate change and extreme weather, affecting our communities and ecosystems.”

In a statement, Greenpeace called the tropical storm “the third highly devastating weather event to batter the country this year.”

Meanwhile, India’s eastern states were pummeled by severe cyclonic storm Dana as it moved inland from the Bay of Bengal early on the morning of Oct. 25. Dana flooded coastal areas and triggered storm surges 1.15 meters (3.75 feet) high. It uprooted trees, snapped power lines and damaged agricultural lands as heavy rainfall inundated affected areas.

Reports say more than a million people have been evacuated, while numerous trains and flights have been canceled. India’s government said it has set up cyclone centers and deployed rescue and medical teams. 

The India Meteorological Department reported on the morning of Oct. 25 that Dana had wind speeds of 100-110 kph (62-68 mph) and gusts of up to 120 kph (74 mph). It was expected to weaken into a storm by noon of the same day. 

An Associated Press report cited climate scientists saying that intense storms are forecast to become more frequent in South Asia due to climate change.

Banner image of tropical storm Trami via PAGASA.