An aerial view reveals houses engulfed by floodwaters following heavy rain in Tumpat, Malaysia's Kelantan state on December 2, 2024. — AFP
Malaysia and Thailand are bracing for another round of heavy rain and potential flooding this week, according to authorities on Monday, even as some displaced residents began returning home and floodwaters started to recede in some areas. Since last week, 27 people have perished, and over half a million households in these neighboring Southeast Asian countries have been affected by torrential rain and flooding, described by authorities as the most severe in decades.
The situation has slightly improved in some areas, with water levels decreasing, according to government data on Monday. In Malaysia, the number of people in evacuation shelters fell to around 128,000, down from 152,000 on Sunday, as per the disaster management agency's website. The northeastern state of Kelantan, hardest hit by the floods, is expected to face another deluge from December 4, according to a Facebook post by the chief minister's office on Sunday.
"Although floodwater trends show a slight decrease, (the chief minister) emphasized that vigilance measures must remain at the highest level," the post stated. Meanwhile, in southern Thailand, 434,000 households remain affected, a decrease of about 100,000 from the weekend, according to the country's interior ministry. The government has been providing food and supplies to those in flood-affected areas, with water levels in seven provinces decreasing.
Thailand's Meteorological Department warned that people in the country's lower south should be cautious of heavy to very heavy rains and possible flash flooding and overflows, particularly along foothills near waterways and lowlands, from December 3-5.
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