Death toll rises to 19 as Thailand and Malaysia face worst floods in ...
9 hours agoSun 1 Dec 2024 at 11:17pm
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from flooded areas in southern Thailand. (Reuters)
At least 19 people have been killed by flooding that has affected hundreds of thousands in Malaysia and Thailand.
Authorities in Thailand said thousands of people were staying in 200 temporary shelters set up in affected areas.
What's next?Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim barred his cabinet members from going on leave as the country braces for what officials fear could be the country's worst flood in a decade.
The death toll from the worst floods in decades in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia has climbed to at least 19.
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated due to rising water levels in the past three days.
In southern Thailand, the floods have impacted more than 640,000 households, with the death toll climbing to 12, according to Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
Thousands of people are currently in 200 temporary shelters that have been set up in affected areas, the department said.
The Malaysian prime minister barred his cabinet members from going on leave as the country braces for what officials fear could be country's worst flood in a decade. (Reuters)
The Chana district of Songkhla province suffered the worst floods in 50 years, with video footage showing people being carried out to trucks from their homes inundated by a torrent of flood water.
Other video footage showed rescuers in Sateng Nok District of Yala province carrying a baby out from the roof of a home hit by the floods on Saturday.
In neighbouring Malaysia, the floods have impacted nearly 139,000 people in nine states, according to the National Disaster Command Centre.
According to reports from the Malay Mail, the death toll from the floods had reached seven on Sunday.
Last week, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim barred his cabinet members from going on leave, after the displacement of more than 90,000 people in a growing flood disaster that officials fear could be the country's worst in a decade.
Thai authorities said thousands of people were forced to stay in 200 temporary shelters set up in affected areas. (Reuters: Roylee Suriyaworakul)
"All ministers have been asked to continue their duties and go down to the ground now," Mr Anwar told reporters, according to a video posted online by state broadcaster Bernama TV.
Floods are common on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia during the monsoon period between October and March, but recent torrential rain has led to mass evacuations, mostly in the north-eastern state of Kelantan that borders Thailand.
Thailand's Meteorological Department said several areas in southern Thailand suffered more heavy rain on Saturday and warned of more flash floods in affected areas.
Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka and India, Cyclone Fengal has killed at least 19 people and caused destructive flooding.
Neighbouring Philippines was hit by six typhoons in just November, causing widespread devastation.
Reuters
