Asia endured its hottest year on record in 2024, with unprecedented climate extremes taking a heavy toll on lives, economies, and ecosystems, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The annual State of the Climate in Asia report revealed that the continent’s average temperature rose to 1.04°C above the 1991–2020 average, marking it as the warmest or second warmest year ever recorded.
Asia is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, accelerating the impacts of climate change across the region.
This rapid warming is intensifying the frequency and severity of disasters. Glaciers in the Himalayas and Tian Shan suffered rapid mass loss, driven by reduced snowfall and prolonged summer heat.
Sea-surface temperatures hit record highs, with marine heatwaves covering vast areas of the northern Indian Ocean and East Asian seas.
Coastal communities faced rising threats as sea levels on the Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts exceeded global averages, amplifying flood risks and jeopardizing food and water security.
The year’s strongest storm, Tropical Cyclone Yagi, left a trail of destruction through Viet Nam, the Philippines, Lao PDR, Thailand, Myanmar, and China, triggering floods and landslides.
Central Asia saw its worst flooding in over 70 years, and the United Arab Emirates recorded 259.5 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours—one of the highest totals since 1949.
In Nepal, extreme rainfall in late September caused deadly floods and landslides, killing at least 246 people and destroying over 88,000 hectares of farmland.
However, anticipatory actions and coordinated early warnings reached 130,000 people ahead of the disaster, significantly reducing casualties.
The report also documented widespread droughts, especially in China, where over 4.7 million people were affected and direct economic losses reached nearly 3 billion yuan. Dry conditions also gripped parts of the Middle East, Kazakhstan, and Central Asia.
Prolonged and intense heatwaves gripped East and South Asia. In India, over 450 deaths were linked to extreme temperatures. Japan matched its record summer heat, and Thailand experienced a major heatwave with temperatures far above the long-term average.
The WMO stressed that the region’s escalating climate risks demand stronger early warning systems, climate resilience investments, and cross-border cooperation to protect lives and livelihoods in the face of a rapidly changing climate.
