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12778
USA - Severe weather, floods and landslides, update (ECHO 13 Dec 2025)
Pubdate: 12/12/2025 10:53:50 AM
  • Persistent heavy rainfall has continued to batter the northwestern United States, particularly western Washington state, over the past few days, triggering severe flooding, landslides, and widespread evacuations.
  • As of 11 December, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that 93 people have been displaced and sheltered, while residents in Cowlitz and Pierce counties – along with members of the Yakama Nation and Sauk-Suiattle Tribe – are being urged to evacuate. Meanwhile, Skagit county is preparing to evacuate up to 75,000 people. In total, seven counties and 22 tribes have been placed under emergency or disaster declarations, with media reports indicating more than 100,000 residents now under evacuation orders. Eight shelters are open.
  • The storm has also disrupted travel, with over 30 road closures due to debris, mudslides, and flooding. Also the US-Canada Sumas Border Crossing has been shut down to commercial traffic.
  • In response to the escalating situation, Washington state has declared a state of emergency on 10 December.

More moderate rainfall is forecast for western Washington on 12–13 December.


(12/12/2025 11:12:04 AM - 12/13/2025 9:30:04 AM)
12779
Thailand, Malaysia - Severe weather, floods and landslides, update (ECHO 13 Dec 2025)
Pubdate: 12/12/2025 10:53:50 AM
  • Heavy rainfall, consequent flooding and landslides continue to affect southeast Asia, particularly southern Thailand and peninsular Malaysia, leading to a rising humanitarian impact.
  • For the Southern region of Thailand, the ASEAN Disaster Information Network (ADINet), as of 8 December, reports 276 deaths, five people injured, and more than 4 million affected. 
  • According to the same source, in Malaysia, three people died and 781 people have been displaced to 11 evacuation centres across the peninsula.
  • On 12-13 December, moderate to locally heavy rainfall is expected across most of peninsular Malaysia and the southernmost regions of Thailand. Particularly the south of Thailand is expecting heavy rain on 12 December.

(12/12/2025 11:12:04 AM - 12/13/2025 9:30:04 AM)
12780
Iraq - Flash foods (ECHO 13 Dec 2025)
Pubdate: 12/12/2025 10:53:50 AM
  • Heavy rainfall has been affecting a number of governorates in northern Iraq since 9 December, causing floods and flash floods that have resulted in casualties and damage. The affected governorates are Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Erbil, and Nineveh.
  • The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reports, as of 12 December, six fatalities, 19 injured people and a total of approximately 16,200 affected people. The most affected governorates are Sulaymaniyah - the worst affected - with 13,614 affected people, Kirkuk with 2,400, Nineveh with 180 and Erbil with 36.
  • Over the next 36 hours, moderate rainfall is still forecast over central and northern Iraq.

(12/12/2025 11:12:04 AM - 12/13/2025 9:30:04 AM)
12781
Japan - Earthquakes (ECHO 13 Dec 2025)
Pubdate: 12/12/2025 10:53:50 AM
  • A new strong earthquake of 6.7 M (revised to 6.9 M, according to the Japanese authorities) occurred at a depth of 10.7 km off the eastern coast of northern Honshu island, northern Japan on 12 December at 2:44 UTC (12:44 local time). The epicentre was located in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, approximately 115 km east of the city of Rokkasho, Aomori prefecture, in the same area as the previous 7.6 M earthquake that occurred on 8 December. The event was followed by two aftershocks of 5.5 M and 4.7 M in the area.
  • For the main event, USGS PAGER estimates up to 127,000 people were exposed to moderate shaking. Tsunami advisories were issued along the eastern coasts of Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures soon after the main event and were lifted early in the morning (local time) of 12 December. The Japan Meteorological Agency reported observed tsunami waves up to 20 cm across both the aforementioned prefectures.
  • Japanese authorities and media reports, as of 12 December, state that evacuation orders were issued for around 6,000 people across 180 municipalities throughout Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures.

(12/12/2025 11:12:04 AM - 12/13/2025 9:30:04 AM)
12782
Sri Lanka - Tropical storm DITWAH and floods, update (ECHO 13 Dec 2025)
Pubdate: 12/12/2025 10:53:50 AM
  • The passage of the tropical storm DITWAH and its remnants across Sri Lanka over the period from 27 to 29 November caused very heavy rainfall, floods and landslides that have resulted in casualties and severe damage in the country. The humanitarian impact is severe and continues to increase. The worst affected districts are Puttalam, Colombo and Kandy.
  • According to the Disaster Management Center (DMC) reports, as of 12 December, the death toll stands at 639 fatalities. DMC also reports 210 missing people, nearly 84,700 evacuated people across 866 active safety centres and a total of approximately 1.7 million affected people. The same source also reports 5,588 fully damaged and 87,496 partially damaged houses in the country. 
  • On 29 November, Sri Lanka requested assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). In response, Germany, France, Luxembourg have offered in kind assistance including shelter items and Italy offered technical expertise. DG ECHO civil protection humanitarian experts have been deployed to Sri Lanka since the beginning of the emergency.
  • On 1 December, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) was activated in rapid mapping mode (). So far, 30 maps have been produced.
  • Over the next 48 hours, moderate to heavy rainfall is still forecast over most of the country.

(12/12/2025 11:12:04 AM - 12/13/2025 9:30:04 AM)
  
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