- Joined
- Apr 13, 2025
- Runs
- 4,294
The year 2025 will be remembered as one of the most tragic on record, marked by intense warfare, regional clashes, and devastating climate-driven disasters that left hundreds of thousands dead, millions displaced, and infrastructure in ruins across multiple continents.
In the Middle East, the Israel–Hamas war dominated headlines throughout 2025. Despite a ceasefire announced in October under a U.S.-mediated deal, the truce remains fragile and incomplete. Qatar’s leadership warned that key conditions remain unmet and the risk of renewed hostilities is high, as both sides dispute terms related to disarmament and international security force deployment.
Israel’s military operations and restrictions on Gaza continue to impact civilians, even during the ceasefire, contributing to a volatile humanitarian situation. According to reports, since the conflict began in October 2023, over 70,000 Palestinians and more than 1,200 Israelis have died, with thousands more injured and displaced, and ongoing clashes within Gaza between armed groups add further instability.
Elsewhere, border tensions persisted across South Asia. Pakistan and Afghanistan experienced renewed clashes along their shared frontier, drawing international attention and proposed mediation efforts, though violence and political strains remain unresolved.
In Southeast Asia, a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia—once hailed as a breakthrough for peace—collapsed late in the year after renewed military strikes, underscoring the fragility of peace deals and the persistence of historical territorial disputes.
Operation Sindoor became one of the most significant flashpoints in India–Pakistan tensions when India launched a series of precision military strikes on nine militant infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in early May in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, an assault New Delhi linked to Pakistan-based groups.
The operation involved coordinated air and missile strikes deep inside Pakistani territory, and India characterised it as a targeted counter-terror response, not an attack on Pakistan’s conventional military, aiming to dismantle terror bases used for cross-border attacks while signalling a shift in its doctrine on retaliatory action. Islamabad condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and accused India of causing civilian casualties, triggering heavy cross-border firing along the Line of Control, artillery exchanges and missile engagements that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries on both sides of the de facto border.
On the humanitarian front, climate disasters compounded the suffering. A series of record-breaking storms, cyclones and monsoon floods swept through South and Southeast Asia, producing catastrophic results. According to disaster data, heavy rains, landslides and cyclonic activity in late 2025 killed well over 1,700 people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines, displaced millions, and left thousands missing.
In Indonesia, severe flooding and landslides on Sumatra island alone accounted for nearly 969 deaths, with more than 1 million people displaced and 3.2 million affected, according to national disaster management figures. Sri Lanka grappled with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which cut a destructive path across the island and southern India, accounting for hundreds of deaths and destroying tens of thousands of homes.
Meanwhile Thailand and Malaysia reported heavy losses and disruptive floods, with entire provinces submerged and communities isolated.
In South Asia, smaller but deadly events — such as a flash flood in India’s Kishtwar district — further added to the year’s toll, killing dozens and injuring hundreds more, often in places with little early warning or disaster infrastructure.
The cumulative global toll is staggering: tens of thousands of lives lost, millions displaced by conflict and climate disasters, and entire regions struggling to cope with overlapping emergencies. Analysts caution that the dangerous interplay between ongoing wars and climate extremes is not coincidental — prolonged conflict often weakens infrastructure and resilience, making societies far more vulnerable to climate shocks. The disasters of 2025 serve as a stark reminder that without robust climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and sustained diplomatic peace efforts, the world will remain dangerously exposed to events of similar scale and intensity.
In the Middle East, the Israel–Hamas war dominated headlines throughout 2025. Despite a ceasefire announced in October under a U.S.-mediated deal, the truce remains fragile and incomplete. Qatar’s leadership warned that key conditions remain unmet and the risk of renewed hostilities is high, as both sides dispute terms related to disarmament and international security force deployment.
Israel’s military operations and restrictions on Gaza continue to impact civilians, even during the ceasefire, contributing to a volatile humanitarian situation. According to reports, since the conflict began in October 2023, over 70,000 Palestinians and more than 1,200 Israelis have died, with thousands more injured and displaced, and ongoing clashes within Gaza between armed groups add further instability.
Elsewhere, border tensions persisted across South Asia. Pakistan and Afghanistan experienced renewed clashes along their shared frontier, drawing international attention and proposed mediation efforts, though violence and political strains remain unresolved.
In Southeast Asia, a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia—once hailed as a breakthrough for peace—collapsed late in the year after renewed military strikes, underscoring the fragility of peace deals and the persistence of historical territorial disputes.
Operation Sindoor became one of the most significant flashpoints in India–Pakistan tensions when India launched a series of precision military strikes on nine militant infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in early May in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, an assault New Delhi linked to Pakistan-based groups.
The operation involved coordinated air and missile strikes deep inside Pakistani territory, and India characterised it as a targeted counter-terror response, not an attack on Pakistan’s conventional military, aiming to dismantle terror bases used for cross-border attacks while signalling a shift in its doctrine on retaliatory action. Islamabad condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and accused India of causing civilian casualties, triggering heavy cross-border firing along the Line of Control, artillery exchanges and missile engagements that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries on both sides of the de facto border.
On the humanitarian front, climate disasters compounded the suffering. A series of record-breaking storms, cyclones and monsoon floods swept through South and Southeast Asia, producing catastrophic results. According to disaster data, heavy rains, landslides and cyclonic activity in late 2025 killed well over 1,700 people across Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines, displaced millions, and left thousands missing.
In Indonesia, severe flooding and landslides on Sumatra island alone accounted for nearly 969 deaths, with more than 1 million people displaced and 3.2 million affected, according to national disaster management figures. Sri Lanka grappled with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which cut a destructive path across the island and southern India, accounting for hundreds of deaths and destroying tens of thousands of homes.
Meanwhile Thailand and Malaysia reported heavy losses and disruptive floods, with entire provinces submerged and communities isolated.
In South Asia, smaller but deadly events — such as a flash flood in India’s Kishtwar district — further added to the year’s toll, killing dozens and injuring hundreds more, often in places with little early warning or disaster infrastructure.
The cumulative global toll is staggering: tens of thousands of lives lost, millions displaced by conflict and climate disasters, and entire regions struggling to cope with overlapping emergencies. Analysts caution that the dangerous interplay between ongoing wars and climate extremes is not coincidental — prolonged conflict often weakens infrastructure and resilience, making societies far more vulnerable to climate shocks. The disasters of 2025 serve as a stark reminder that without robust climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and sustained diplomatic peace efforts, the world will remain dangerously exposed to events of similar scale and intensity.
Timeline of Major Global Events in 2025
January 2025
- Gaza War continues despite periodic temporary ceasefire attempts; casualty toll surpasses 40,000+ Palestinians killed, thousands injured; sporadic clashes persist.
- Ukraine–Russia war enters its third winter with intensified fighting around Donetsk and Kharkiv; civilian deaths cross 12,000 since 2022.
- Thailand–Cambodia border clashes flare again, with several soldiers killed on both sides due to disputed temple territory.
February 2025
- Sudan civil war intensifies in Khartoum and Darfur; UN reports 18+ million people in severe food insecurity and tens of thousands killed since 2023.
March 2025
- Iran–Israel shadow conflict escalates with missile interceptions, air-defence engagements and strikes on proxy groups across Syria and Iraq.
- Brazil floods kill more than 130 people and displace over 200,000 after torrential rains.
- Mokwa Flood, Nigeria: Heavy rainfall and infrastructure failure submerged Mokwa town; official estimates report at least 500 deaths, 200 injured and over 600 missing, along with thousands of homes destroyed.
- Pakistan monsoon flooding begins: Severe monsoon floods affected millions across the country, with UN and media reports indicating over 1,000+ lives lost and extensive displacement.
April 2025
- India–Pakistan LoC firing incidents increase ahead of Indian elections; casualties reported on both sides, including civilians.
- Sri Lanka flash floods affect over 300,000+ people, with dozens killed in landslides.
- Indonesia is hit by severe monsoon flooding, killing over 90 and displacing nearly 500,000.
May 2025
- Operation Sindoor (India) — India conducts strikes against “terror infrastructure” across Pakistan/Pakistan-administered Kashmir after the Pahalgam attack (26 civilians killed).
Cross-border artillery exchange follows, killing soldiers and civilians on both sides. - Pakistan heatwave peaks, with temperatures above 50°C, leading to dozens of heatstroke deaths.
June 2025
- Myanmar civil war worsens; rebel offensives lead to mass displacement in Shan and Rakhine states.
- China experiences deadly floods along the Yangtze basin; 200+ killed, millions evacuated.
July 2025
- Haiti gang violence reaches its peak; UN records over 5,000 violent deaths in the first half of the year.
- India monsoon floods hit Maharashtra and Gujarat, killing 250+ and impacting millions.
August 2025
- Typhoon-triggered floods in the Philippines kill over 120 and displace millions.
- US wildfires in California and the Pacific Northwest destroy thousands of acres and homes.
- Uttarakhand flash floods, India: Rapid cloudburst-induced flash flooding killed and displaced dozens in the Uttarakhand hills.
September 2025
- Ukraine gains minor advances near Kherson; Russia responds with heavy missile barrages targeting energy infrastructure.
- Pakistan floods devastate Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab; 100+ killed, thousands displaced.
- Northern Vietnam floods: Heavy monsoon and cyclone-related rainfall caused widespread flooding and 85+ confirmed dead/missing across northern and north-central Vietnam.
October 2025
- Israel–Gaza conflict continues with drone warfare and urban fighting; humanitarian crisis intensifies.
- Afghanistan earthquakes kill over 2,000 people and flatten several villages.
- Pakistan–Afghanistan border tensions spike with artillery exchanges at Torkham and Chaman; several civilians reported dead.
November 2025
- Storms across the US & Canada cause catastrophic flooding in Washington state and British Columbia; tens of thousands evacuated, highways shut down.
- Yemen conflict remains volatile with clashes between Houthis and coalition forces along Red Sea corridors.
- Sudan conflict persists: Ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to produce severe humanitarian impact across Darfur and Khartoum, contributing to what the UN describes as one of the world’s worst crises.
December 2025
- Global ceasefire efforts begin in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, but fighting in all three regions remains ongoing.
- East Africa drought worsens, affecting over 30 million people with severe food shortages.
- Australia bushfires flare up again amid extreme heat waves.
