Severe flooding devastates Malaysia, Thailand, forcing mass evacuations

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Credit: Reuters

Heavy rainfall has unleashed catastrophic flooding in Malaysia and southern Thailand, leaving at least 12 people dead and displacing over 135,000 residents.

The relentless downpours have inundated homes, submerged vehicles, and forced the closure of key facilities, including two hospitals in Thailand.

In northern Malaysia, over 122,000 people, predominantly from Kelantan State, have fled their homes, accounting for 63% of the displaced population.

Videos show towns swamped with waist-high water, with residents and emergency personnel wading through the deluge. One resident in Pasir Puteh shared that rising floodwaters have isolated her family and are on the verge of entering their home.

Southern Thailand has also seen widespread devastation, with around 534,000 households affected across six provinces.

Disaster authorities have allocated 50 million baht ($1.7 million) in relief for each impacted province, while Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pledged to “restore normalcy as quickly as possible.”

Rescue efforts include dramatic evacuations, such as saving a baby from a submerged home in the Sateng Nok district.

The Malaysian and Thai meteorological agencies warn that heavy rains are expected to continue, exacerbating the situation. Both nations regularly endure monsoon flooding, but the scale of this disaster rivals past events, including Malaysia’s 2021 floods and Thailand’s devastating 2011 deluge.

Emergency services are racing to provide aid, while Malaysia’s Prime Minister has barred cabinet members from taking leave, urging a full focus on disaster response. With storm warnings still active, the region braces for further challenges in the days ahead.

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