The Alarming Public Health Impacts of Disasters Need Urgent Attention
By HHI Resilient Communities
2025 has been a year of relentless, overlapping climate and geological disasters across South and Southeast Asia. Record-breaking heat, powerful typhoons, massive floods and landslides, and violent earthquakes have claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and pushed already fragile health systems to the brink.
Across the Himalayas, multiple climate-related disasters, including severe monsoon rains and a glacial lake outburst flood in Nepal’s Humla District in May, have displaced dozens of families and damaged a hydropower project, irrigation canals, and drinking water infrastructure. Such events have increased the risk of waterborne diseases and other health problems in areas where safe water and sanitation are scarce.
In southern Thailand, a "once in 300 years" heavy rainfall event submerged 10 provinces in November, particularly Hat Yai. This extreme event alone has affected millions of people, disrupted tourism and livelihoods, and hampered access to health facilities and services.
Vietnam's south-central regions have experienced relentless rains and prolonged floods in November—the country's worst floods in over 50 years. Disasters like this have forced hospitals to operate with limited supplies and damaged facilities and rely on emergency rations for days.
The Philippines endured a series of three major disasters within 10 days in September: a super typhoon that struck the northern region, and another strong typhoon and a 6.9 magnitude earthquake that both hit the central region. Aside from claiming many lives and destroying properties, these disasters have worsened local public health challenges, including spikes in leptospirosis and waterborne diseases, acute respiratory infections, mental health problems, and malnutrition, especially among children.
These examples underscore the severity of the threat that climate-related disasters pose to public health and community resilience. Research, collaboration, and evidence-based adaptation strategies are urgently needed to strengthen the resilience of health systems and the public.
HHI RC's Commitment
With a decade of experience generating impactful resilience research in South and Southeast Asia, HHI Resilient Communities remains committed to supporting community resilience through evidence-based research, collaborations, engagements, and actionable solutions. We continue to leverage HHI’s expertise in humanitarian research and education, and the global public health leadership of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. We also draw inspiration from the extensive local and international networks we have formed in the region. These strong connections will further support our efforts to expand our work and address critical data needs in disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and public health.
In 2026, we look forward to deepening our collaboration with researchers, humanitarians, governments, the private sector, the media, and local communities to generate more impactful evidence and tools needed for a more thriving, healthy, and climate-resilient future!