BENGALURU, India (AP) — Ocean temperatures warmed by human-caused climate change fed the intense rainfall that triggered deadly floods and landslides across Asia in recent weeks, according to an analysis released Wednesday.
The rapid study by World Weather Attribution focused on heavy rainfall from cyclones Senyar and Ditwah in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka starting late last month. The analysis found that warmer sea surface temperatures over the North Indian Ocean added energy to the cyclones.
Click to Gallery
FILE - Survivors walk past the wreckage of a car at an area affected by flash flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Senyar in Aceh Tamiang, on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara, File)
FILE - This photo taken from a national disaster mitigation agency's helicopter during an aerial aid distribution shows an area affected by floods in the aftermath of Cyclone Senyar in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah, File)
FILE - A landslide survivor searches for belongings at the site in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah in Sarasavigama village in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE - People wade through floodwaters in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
Floods and landslides triggered by the storms have killed more than 1,600 people, with hundreds more still missing. The cyclones are the latest in a series of deadly weather disasters affecting Southeast Asia this year, resulting in loss of life and property damage.
“It rains a lot here but never like this. Usually, rain stops around September but this year it has been really bad. Every region of Sri Lanka has been affected, and our region has been the worst impacted,” said Shanmugavadivu Arunachalam, a 59-year-old schoolteacher in the mountain town of Hatton in Sri Lanka’s Central Province.
Sea surface temperatures over the North Indian Ocean were 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.3 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the average over the past three decades, according to the WWA researchers.
Without global warming, the sea surface temperatures would have been about 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) colder than they were, according to the analysis. The warmer ocean temperatures provided heat and moisture to the storms.
When measuring overall temperatures, the world is currently 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than global average during pre-industrial times in the 19th century, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“When the atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture. As a result, it rains more in a warmer atmosphere as compared to a world without climate change,” said Mariam Zachariah, with the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London and one of the report's authors.
The WWA is a collection of researchers who use peer-reviewed methods to conduct rapid studies examining how extreme weather events are linked to climate change.
“Anytime we decide to do a study, we know what is the procedure that we have to follow,” said Zachariah, who added that they review the findings in house and send some of their analysis for peer review, even after an early version is made public.
The speed at which the WWA releases their analysis helps inform the general public about the impacts of climate change, according to Zachariah.
“We want people everywhere to know about why something happened in their neighborhood," Zachariah said. “But also be aware about the reasons behind some of the events unfurling across the world.”
The WWA often estimates how much worse climate change made a disaster using specific probabilities. In this case, though, the researchers said they could not estimate the precise contribution of climate change to the storms and ensuing heavy rains because of limitations in climate models for the affected islands.
Global warming is a “powerful amplifier” to the deadly floods, typhoons and landslides that have ravaged Asia this year, said Jemilah Mahmood, with the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, a Malaysia-based think tank that was not involved with the WWA analysis.
“The region and the world have been on this path because, for decades, economic development was prioritized over climate stability,” Mahmood said. “It’s created an accumulated planetary debt, and this has resulted in the crisis we face.”
The analysis found that across the affected countries, rapid urbanization, high population density and infrastructure in low lying flood plains have elevated exposure to flood events.
“The human toll from cyclones Ditwah and Senyar is staggering,” said Maja Vahlberg, a technical adviser with the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. “Unfortunately, it is the most vulnerable people who experience the worst impacts and have the longest road to recovery.”
Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123.
Delgado reported from Bangkok, Thailand.
The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
FILE - Survivors walk past the wreckage of a car at an area affected by flash flooding in the aftermath of Cyclone Senyar in Aceh Tamiang, on Sumatra Island, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara, File)
FILE - This photo taken from a national disaster mitigation agency's helicopter during an aerial aid distribution shows an area affected by floods in the aftermath of Cyclone Senyar in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah, File)
FILE - A landslide survivor searches for belongings at the site in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah in Sarasavigama village in Kandy, Sri Lanka, Dec. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
FILE - People wade through floodwaters in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Nov. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena, File)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso and a 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday raised further questions about his future.
Arsenal remains perfect in this season's competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champion Paris Saint-Germain was held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao.
Alonso had faced reports this week that he had lost control of the locker room and speculation over his position is likely to be intense after a latest defeat. It’s now just two wins in eight games for Madrid and back-to-back home losses.
There were jeers inside the Bernabeu at the final whistle.
“We know it’s a tough moment for us and for the coach,” Madrid winger Rodrygo said. “Things are not going our way and I wanted to show that we are behind our the coach. He has been trying. I wanted to show that we are together and we need to be united to keep moving forward and achieve our goals.”
Rodrygo had put Madrid in front in the 28th minute, but goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland before halftime sealed victory for City.
Alonso looked frustrated on the sidelines as he watched his blunt attack waste chances to salvage something in the absence of the injured Kylian Mbappé, who was an unused substitute.
Vinicius Junior failed to hit the target with two chances from close range and Jude Bellingham lifted another effort over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat.
Bellingham said afterward the squad was “100%” behind Alonso.
“The noise will not be helpful. So it’s about us trying to figure it out inside the dressing room,” Bellingham told TNT Sports.
Record 15-time European champion Madrid is seventh in the standings, with only the top eight teams automatically advancing to the round of 16.
“As a player inside the changing room, seeing what we’ve got in there, working with the coach every day, I think we have everything we need to turn it around,” Bellingham said. “I’ve got full faith that this season isn’t over just because we’ve been on a bad run of form, and obviously as players it kills us and we’re going try to turn it around.”
Top of the Premier League and top of the Champions League, too, Arsenal swept aside Club Brugge to maintain its 100% record in Europe.
Noni Madueke scored twice and Gabriel Martinelli got the other for Mikel Arteta's team, which has seen its lead in England's top flight cut from six points to two in recent weeks.
There are no such concerns in Europe.
“Our mentality is our strength," Arteta said.
PSG couldn't find a winner in Bilbao, but with 13 points after six games, the French giant has already equaled the total amount it picked up in the league phase last season before going on to win the trophy.
Italian champion Napoli lost 2-0 at Benfica, while Weston McKennie was on target for Juventus in a 2-0 win at Pafos.
Both Napoli and Juventus have only won two of their six games in the league phase so far.
Alejandro Grimaldo made the difference again for Bayer Leverkusen, scoring in the 88th to rescue a 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
A hero of Leverkusen’s surprise win at Man City last month, Grimaldo surged into the penalty area to level the score.
Leverkusen took an early lead when Bruno Guimaraes deflected Robert Andrich’s header into his own net. Nick Woltemade won a penalty that Anthony Gordon converted in the 51st before 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Miley headed Newcastle in front.
Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand missed the game for personal reasons, the club said an hour before kickoff.
Jeers rang out at full time at Borussia Dortmund after Norway’s Bodo/Glimt sealed a 2-2 draw, equalizing twice after Julian Brandt goals for Dortmund.
The result helps neither team, with Dortmund’s chances of direct qualification for the round of 16 taking a dent. Bodo/Glimt has three draws but no wins in its debut Champions League season.
Ajax scored three goals late in the game to deny Qarabag a surprise win in one of the early kickoffs.
Four-time European champion Ajax twice trailed against its Azerbaijani opponent, but fought back to win 4-2 in Baku.
Qarabag has been one of the surprise packages in this season’s competition and led after 10 minutes through Camilo Duran. Matheus Silva scored two minutes into the second half to make it 2-1 after Kasper Dolberg had leveled for Ajax.
But Ajax powered back with three goals in 11 minutes. Oscar Gloukh scored in the 79th and 90th, with Anton Gaaei getting the other in the 82nd.
Copenhagen also scored late to win 3-2 at Villarreal.
Substitute Andreas Cornelius struck in the 90th to seal victory in a game where Copenhagen had twice been pegged back after taking the lead.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
PSG's head coach Luis Enrique reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and PSG in Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Dec.10, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Arsenal's Noni Madueke celebrates after scoring his sides second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Club Brugge and Arsenal in Bruges, Belgium, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)
Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham reacts after missing a chance during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe sits at the bench before a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring their side's second goal during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso sits at the bench before a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester City, in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Copenhagen's Elias Achouri, right, challenges for the ball with Villarreal's Ilias Akhomach during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Villareal and Copenhagen in Villareal, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Ajax's Kasper Dolberg reacts during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Ajax in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo)
Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso takes his seat on the bench before the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Celta Vigo in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
