Floods struck North Sumatra amid the dry season in Indonesia. Despite the intensifying dry season across the country, knee-deep floodwaters struck thousands of homes in Binjai, Pematang Siantar, and Simalungun in Indonesia’s North Sumatra on 31 July 2026, following torrential overnight rain. The floods submerged roads, caused major traffic disruptions, toppled a tree that injured one person, and hampered residents’ daily activities. In response, the Simalungun Disaster Mitigation Agency deployed emergency responders to evacuate trapped residents and urged motorists to avoid traveling through flooded areas.

Source: ANN. (2026, August 3). Floods strike Indonesia’s North Sumatra despite intensifying dry season across the country.

Heavy rains caused flooding and evacuations in Myanmar. As of 31 July 2026, water levels in Bago Township, Myanmar, rose and inundated low-lying areas following continuous heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, a breach in the Ngawun River embankment in Laymyethna Township, Ayeyarwady Region, led to the evacuation of 6,747 people on 1 August 2026. The township administration team reported no deaths or injuries. Authorities moved the affected residents to relief camps, where they received drinking water, food, and other emergency relief supplies.

Source: Borneo Bulletin. (2026, July 31). Heavy rains flood low-lying areas in Myanmar. Xinhua. (2026, August 1). Over 6,700 evacuated in Myanmar’s Ayeyarwady region after embankment breach.

Tropical Cyclone Dolphin battered several parts of the Philippines. As of 4 August 2026, Tropical Cyclone Dolphin, locally known as Luis, along with the southwest monsoon, caused heavy flooding and landslides across Pangasinan, Isabela, Aurora and several other provinces in the Philippines. In Pangasinan, severe flooding disrupted traffic, suspended classes and government work, prompting local authorities to raise a Blue Alert status to monitor vulnerable communities. However, the storm warning was lifted after the cyclone downgraded into a low-pressure area (LPA), while the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA continued to cause significant rain across many areas. Additionally, another LPA has entered the region and reinforced the weather system.

Source: Philippine News Agency. (2026, August 3). Pangasinan suspends classes, gov’t work on Aug. 4 due to Luis, habagat. GMA News Online. (2026, August 4). Floods, landslides hit parts of Pangasinan, Aurora due to Tropical Depression Luis. Rappler. (2026, August 4). Luis weakens into LPA as another LPA forms; southwest monsoon also causing rain.

Malaysia Expands Rice Stockpiles Amid Global Supply Risks. Malaysia is strengthening its national rice stockpiling strategy to safeguard food security amid rising geopolitical tensions, climate risks, and export restrictions from supplier countries. As of 14 July, the country held 1.249 million MT of rice stocks, including a 200,000-MT buffer stock sufficient to meet domestic demand for 6.2 months. To enhance supply security, Malaysia has diversified its rice import sources beyond Thailand, Vietnam, and India to include Pakistan, Myanmar, and Cambodia. The government is also implementing measures to boost domestic rice production, including the Smart Sawah Berskala Besar (SBB) programme, soil rehabilitation, irrigation upgrades, and the "5 Seasons in 2 Years" initiative to increase planting frequency in key granary areas.

Source: VietnamPlus. (2026, July 31). Malaysia moves to strengthen rice reserves to bolster food security

Philippines Maintains Rice Imports to Strengthen El Niño Preparedness. The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) will not impose a temporary rice import ban despite the upcoming local harvest season. According to the DA Secretary, the government is building buffer stocks to ensure food security through the first half of next year, with rice imports already reaching 3.3 million MT. To support farmers, the National Food Authority (NFA) will purchase up to 500,000 MT of paddy, offering 21 PHP/kg (0.35 USD/kg) for fresh wet paddy rice and 25 – 27 PHP/kg (0.41 – 0.44 USD/kg) for dry paddy rice. In addition, the DA also plans to clear NFA warehouses in September to accommodate increased procurement while expanding the distribution of older but good-quality rice under the 20-PHP/kg (0.33 USD/kg) Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na program.

*1 USD = 60.70 PHP

Source: Philippine News Agency. (2026, August 4). PH won't impose rice import ban; support to farmers in place

Thailand Accelerates Irrigation Development to Support Farmers. The Prime Minister (PM) of Thailand announced plans to accelerate irrigation development nationwide to raise rice farmers’ incomes and reduce the impacts of recurring floods and droughts. During a visit to Suphan Buri Province, the PM stressed the government’s commitment to improving water management, lowering rice production costs, and ensuring farmers receive a fairer share of agricultural returns. In addition, the Central Plains, which is a key flood-receiving area, require stronger irrigation infrastructure to mitigate natural disasters and support stable agricultural production. The PM pledged to seek budget approval for irrigation improvement projects and highlighted the need for coordinated policies to enhance long-term agricultural development.

Source: Bangkok Post. (2026, August 2). PM vows irrigation for farmers