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Summary
Hazards
In April 2023, heavy rains caused floods in Afghanistan,
Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines. A large tornado killed eight people and injured 128 people in Naypyidaw province of Myanmar with 232 houses destroyed. Heatwaves affected people across south and southeast Asia.
January-April 2023 Rainfall
Drier-than-average conditions continued in Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic. The growing of winter barley and wheat crops remained under mixed weather conditions in these countries.
There was slight to moderate rainfall in some parts of central DPR Korea, eastern India, central and southern Philippines and eastern Sri Lanka. Harvesting of dry season rice is ongoing under favourable weather conditions.
Wetter than average rainfall was observed across Fiji, some parts of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu.
Short Term Forecast (1-10 May 2023)
Below-average rainfall conditions are forecast for the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and major parts of Bangladesh, Cambodia, DPR Korea, northeastern India, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Nepal, and northern Philippines.
Wetter than average conditions are forecast in major parts of Afghanistan, and some parts of India,
Pakistan, Indonesia, northern Nepal, southern Philippines, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, and TimorLeste.
Seasonal Outlook (May-July 2023)
Higher than normal rainfall is likely in some parts of Afghanistan, Papua of Indonesia, northern Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, central Philippines, southern Sri Lanka, and the Solomon Islands.
Drier conditions are projected in Bangladesh, some parts of Indonesia (Java, southern and western Kalimantan, southern Sumatra), southern Pakistan, Kiribati, and Tuvalu. Higher than normal temperatures are likely across major parts of south and southeast Asia, and major parts of the Pacific Islands States due to the development of El Niño conditions.
Estimated crop production (2023)
2023 agricultural prospects are generally favourable, except for Bhutan, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In Bhutan, wheat outputs are anticipated to be well below the five-year averages, as the limited workforce in cereal production and higher profit of vegetable production caused land use conversion from wheat to vegetables. Rice outputs are expected to be lower than the five-year average in Sri Lanka and Myanmar due to a shortage of agricultural inputs caused reductions in the area planted and yield, while the severe floods in 2022 damaged rice crops in Pakistan.