KUALA LUMPUR (Malaysia), Dec 1: Huge flooding caused by heavy rain in Malaysia and neighbouring Thailand has killed at least 12 people, officials say.
More than 122,000 people have been forced out of their homes in northern Malaysia, while in southern Thailand, around 13,000 others have also been displaced, according to a BBC report.
There are fears the number could rise, as heavy rain and storm warnings remain in place.
Emergency services personnel have been deployed to help rescue stranded residents and shelters are being provided.
The flooding, which began earlier in the week, has seen thousands of residents evacuated in both nations.
Videos on social media and local news show cars and houses submerged, and people wading through waist-deep water.
One video, filmed in Thailand’s Sateng Nok district, showed rescuers carrying a baby out from a roof of a flooded home.
Flooding has impacted nearly 534,000 households in southern Thailand, disaster officials said, and two hospitals had to close to prevent floodwaters from damaging medical facilities.
Six provinces have declared a disaster due to the floods, the report said.
The government has designated 50 million baht ($1.7m; ?1.3m) in flood relief for each province, with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra saying the goal is to “restore normalcy as quickly as possible”.
In Malaysia, the flooding is mostly concentrated on the north-eastern state of Kelantan, which borders Thailand.
There, the National Disaster Management Agency says the evacuees account for 63% of the total number.
(UNI)
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