Asia counts cost of June floods - Aon

Torrential seasonal Mei-yu rains arrived in China and initiated widespread flooding across the greater Yangtze River Basin during the month of June, killing at least 106 people. The hardest-hit provincial regions included Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei and Chongqing, where more than 250,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Total combined economic losses during June alone were listed by the government at CNY35.8 billion ($5.1 billion), according to Aon’s Impact Forecasting.

Torrential rains resulted in flash floods and landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan and adjacent Jammu district of India during the first half of June. At least seven people lost their lives in Pakistan, while thousands of homes were inundated in the affected areas. Floods affected thousands of homes in Jammu region of India. Monsoonal rains in India resulted in significant flooding in parts of the country in June, notably in Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, and Karnataka states. The Ministry of Home Affairs Disaster Management Division cited a combined 189 fatalities during the month and more than 9,372 homes damaged or destroyed. Major damage was also cited to swaths of infrastructure and agricultural land. Seasonal flooding annually results in economic costs minimally reaching into the hundreds of millions (USD) across India.

Several rivers burst their banks in Bangladesh rose following heavy monsoonal rains throughout June. Thousands of people in Jamalpur, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts were displaced after their homes were inundated. Cyclone Nisarga made landfall near Alibaug in coastal Maharashtra on June 3, causing widespread damage in the Raigad district. Nisarga claimed at least six lives. Government officials cited damage to more than 500,000 structures from strong winds, flash flooding, and other coastal inundation. Total economic losses were listed at INR50 billion ($665 million); most losses will not be covered by insurance.

Tropical Storm Nuri, locally known in Philippines as Butchoy, made three distinct landfalls – two while tracking through the Philippines archipelago on June 11, and final landfall near Yangjiang region of southern China’s Guangdong Province on June 13. One person was killed. The system prompted flooding rains in parts of the Philippines and China, though total economic losses were negligible.

Heavy rains coupled with thunderstorms, lightning, and wind swept across 30 districts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in northern India during the last week of June (24-30). According to the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, at least 103 people died in the state of Bihar and several others sustained severe injuries. The event resulted in widespread damage to thousands of houses, businesses, roads, and large areas of cropland. Total economic losses were estimated well into the millions (USD).