Floods in India and Pakistan, driven by extreme weather events such as intense monsoon rainfall and landslides, caused losses of $5.6 billion and were among the top 10 climate disasters, resulting in more than 1,860 deaths, according to a report, Counting the Cost 2025 by Christian Aid, a UK-based international organisation that works to fight poverty and promote social justice around the world.
Heatwaves, wildfires, droughts and storms caused global damage exceeding $120 billion in 2025, it noted. The report highlights the 10 most expensive climate-crisis-driven extreme events of the year, each resulting in damage exceeding $1 billion. Among them, the Palisades and Eaton wildfires in California alone reportedly accounted for $60 billion in losses.
Asia was home to four of the six costliest disasters, including floods in India and Pakistan that caused losses of up to $6 billion and affected more than seven million people in Pakistan alone, the report revealed. Meanwhile, typhoons in the Philippines caused damage exceeding $5 billion and forced more than 1.4 million people to flee their homes, it added.
Wildfires caused 31 direct deaths, with around 400 additional deaths reported in a later study. Economic losses exceeded $60 billion.
2. November – South and Southeast Asia Cyclones (Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Malaysia)
Cyclones combined with extreme monsoon rainfall and flooding resulted in more than 1,750 deaths and caused losses of about $25 billion.
3. June to August – Flooding in China
Extreme rainfall and flooding led to over 30 deaths and economic damage estimated at $11.7 billion.
4. Mid to late 2025 – Hurricane Melissa (Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas)
A Category 5-equivalent hurricane caused damage of around $8 billion. Fatality figures have not yet been finalised.
5. June to September – Flooding in India and Pakistan
Extreme monsoon rainfall, floods, and landslides killed more than 1,860 people and caused losses of approximately $5.6 billion.
6. Mid-year to November – Typhoons in the Philippines
Typhoons and tropical storms caused hundreds of deaths and economic losses exceeding $5 billion.
7. January to June – Drought in Brazil
Severe drought caused economic losses estimated at $4.75 billion. Fatalities were not specified.
8. February – Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred (Australia)
The storm caused one death and approximately $1.2 billion in economic damage.
9. February – Cyclone Garance (Réunion, East Africa)
A tropical cyclone that resulted in five deaths and losses of around $1.05 billion.
10. July – Texas Floods (United States)
Extreme rainfall and flash flooding caused significant damage; economic losses were reported, though exact figures were not specified.
Emeritus Professor Joanna Haigh, Imperial College London, stated, “These disasters are not ‘natural’ — they are the predictable result of continued fossil fuel expansion and political delay."
Meanwhile, Patrick Watt, the CEO of Christian Aid, remarked that this year has once again revealed the harsh reality of climate change, with violent storms, severe floods, and extended droughts disrupting lives and livelihoods, particularly affecting the poorest communities first and most severely.
He emphasised that these disasters serve as a warning of what could happen if the shift away from fossil fuels is not accelerated, and they stress the urgent need for adaptation efforts, especially in the global South, where people are highly vulnerable and resources are limited.
Watt argued that the suffering caused by the climate crisis results from political decisions, continuing fossil fuel use, allowing emissions to rise, and failing to deliver on climate finance promises. He called on world leaders in 2026 to take action by supporting local adaptation efforts and providing the necessary resources to safeguard lives, land and livelihoods.