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Torrential rains battered Indonesia’s Siau island, causing a flash flood that killed at least 16 people, with another three missing, authorities said Tuesday. An overflowing river flooded four towns on the small island north of Sulawesi on Monday, the national disaster mitigation agency said in a statement. “Sixteen people have been reported dead due to the flash flood,” agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said, adding that teams were searching for the three missing. He said 22 people were injured and nearly 700 villagers displaced. “The flash flood was triggered by heavy-intensity rain that had drenched the area since the early hours, causing the river’s water flow to surge suddenly,” Abdul said. Images shared by the search and rescue agency showed big rocks and uprooted trees that were swept away. The flood cut off access to some roads and damaged dozens of homes as well as public buildings and infrastructure, the spokesman said. Floods are common in Indonesia during the rainy season, which typically lasts between October and March. Tropical storms and intense monsoon rains have pummelled parts of South and Southeast Asia late last year, triggering deadly landslides and floods from the rainforests of Indonesia’s Sumatra to highland plantations in Sri Lanka. Indonesian authorities say at least 1,178 people were killed in Sumatra, and more than 240,000 displaced. While the annual monsoon season often brings heavy rain to Indonesia, the Sumatra deluge in November was among the worst disasters to strike the island since a magnitude-9.1 earthquake triggered a massive tsunami in 2004. 

Torrential rains unleashed flash floods and warnings of debris flow across southern California, particularly in fire-scarred areas, with further downpours forecast as authorities declared a state of emergency in several counties.Driven by an atmospheric river known as "the Pineapple Express", which moves heavy moisture from the tropical climes of Hawaii to the US West Coast, the storm was expected to deliver months' worth of rain over a few days.The National Weather Service (NWS) warned early Thursday about the risk of excessive rainfall over parts of southern California, including in Los Angeles, the second-most populous city in the United States.The NWS warned of a "broad plume of moisture" producing heavy rain in California on Christmas Day, adding there was a "moderate risk" of excessive rainfall over southern parts of the state."Numerous flash flooding events are possible. In addition, many streams may flood, potentially affecting larger rivers. The flooding may include debris flows in or near recently burned areas," the bulletin added, referring to areas affected by wildfires.The rain was forecast to continue today, the service said.State authorities declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Los Angeles.Heavy rain lashed southern California on Wednesday, spawning floods and debris flows. Some communities had already received 10” (25.4cm) of rain in the first storm, forecasters said.The *Los Angeles Times reported that at least three people had died in storm-related incidents, including a San Diego man who was killed by a falling tree.On Wednesday, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works warned Angelenos to stay well away from waterways such as flood control channels, rivers, and streams – even after the rain stopped."Water from upstream communities can move quickly through channels with little warning. What may look shallow or calm can suddenly become fast-moving and dangerous," the agency warned in a post on X.In San Bernardino County, adjacent to Los Angeles, authorities told AFP they were working to divert the flow of floodwater.Muddy water streamed through the town of Wrightwood a day earlier, trapping people in their homes, said Christopher Prater, spokesperson for the county fire department."Fire department personnel were out there rescuing people, assisting them from their houses, getting them to safety, also while effecting rescues from people that were stranded in their vehicles," he said, with work going on into the night.Aerial video footage posted online by the fire department showed rivers of mud coursing through inundated cabin neighbourhoods.Fire-burn scar zones, which are less able to absorb water due to vegetation being stripped from them, were under special alert – including the coastal areas of Pacific Palisades and Malibu, both still recovering from devastating wildfires in January.In northern California, a dangerous storm was tracked developing early Thursday morning in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an emergency alert for flash flooding issued in the area, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.The NWS was also predicting that a winter storm could bring heavy snowfall to the Sierra Madre Mountains.NWS meteorologist Ariel Cohen had warned that from Wednesday afternoon through today, "many areas will likely experience significant flooding, along with rockslides and mudslides, especially in the higher elevations"."If you were planning to travel on the roads during Christmas, please reconsider your plans," he added. 

Storm Alice has unleashed torrential rains and flash floods across eastern Spain, forcing thousands to evacuate and causing major disruption to air, road, and rail transport. In Catalonia, Valencia, and Ibiza, heavy downpours inundated streets, stranded motorists, and led to widespread flight cancellations along Spain's Mediterranean coast. The national meteorological agency, AEMET, issued a red alert for parts of Valencia, warning that up to 100 millimeters of rainfall could occur within an hour. Civil Protection authorities urged residents to remain indoors as floodwaters continued to rise, particularly in low-lying urban and coastal areas. Train services along the Mediterranean corridor between Barcelona and Valencia were suspended, affecting more than 3,000 passengers. The storm is expected to persist through the week, with AEMET maintaining orange alerts for coastal regions of Alicante, Valencia, and Castellón amid forecasts of continued heavy rain and thunderstorms.

Torrential rains and flash floods have wreaked havoc in many regions of Pakistan, claiming 972 lives and injuring 1,062 others since June 26. At least 972 people, including 266 children, 547 men, and 159 women, have lost their lives in flood-hit areas of the country in incidents related to torrential rains and flash flooding, according to the latest figures released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).Rains and flash flooding also destroyed 8,481 homes. The latest statistics indicate that 910 people were killed, 1,044 injured, and 7,850 homes were destroyed.