The region was hit hardest by floods and storms, resulting in significant casualties and economic losses.

Global temperatures reached record highs last year, and the UN's weather and climate agency reported that Asia was warming at an alarming rate.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) added that heatwaves in Asia were becoming more severe, and melting glaciers posed a threat to the region's water security.

Asia's temperature increase was faster than the global average, with temperatures last year nearly two degrees Celsius above the average from 1961 to 1990.

WMO chief Celeste Saulo described the report's findings as sobering, as many Asian countries experienced their hottest year on record in 2023, along with extreme conditions such as droughts, heatwaves, floods, and storms.

The "State of the Climate in Asia 2023" report revealed that climate change led to an increase in the frequency and intensity of disasters in Asia, causing significant impacts on societies, economies, and the environment.

Key climate indicators such as surface temperature, glacier retreat, and sea level rise were accelerating at alarming rates, with Asia being the most disaster-prone region in the world due to weather, climate, and water-related hazards.

In 2023, Asia experienced its second-warmest year on record, with Japan having its hottest summer ever recorded.

Particularly high temperatures were observed in western Siberia to central Asia and eastern China to Japan.

The WMO report highlights below-normal precipitation in the Himalayas, Hindu Kush mountain range, and southwest China.

The High-Mountain Asia region, which contains the largest ice volume outside of the polar regions, has seen most glaciers retreating at an accelerating rate.

In 2023, northwest Pacific Ocean sea-surface temperatures were the highest on record.

Last year, Asia experienced 79 water-related weather hazard disasters, with over 80% being floods and storms, resulting in over 2,000 deaths and affecting nine million people.

In 2023, floods were the deadliest natural disasters, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Asia was particularly vulnerable, with Hong Kong experiencing its highest rainfall in history (158.1 mm in one hour) due to a typhoon.

The WMO emphasized the need for improved weather information for disaster risk reduction.

Saulo urged action, stating that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the changing climate is no longer an option but a necessity.