Thousands Displaced After in Thailand, Malaysia Amid Floods

Severe flooding across southern Thailand and neighboring Malaysia has killed at least eight people and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes, authorities said Monday.

Days of relentless, torrential rain have inundated communities, cut off roads, and pushed emergency services into an expanded rescue and relief operation.

Officials in Thailand reported that floodwaters, reaching waist-deep levels in some areas, have affected 10 provinces across the country’s southern region. Malaysia, meanwhile, has confirmed major flooding in eight states, prompting thousands to seek shelter in emergency evacuation centers.

Both nations experienced destructive seasonal floods last year that killed at least 12 people.

Hat Yai, the commercial hub of southern Thailand, recorded its heaviest single-day rainfall in more than 300 years on Friday, according to the Royal Irrigation Department.

Television footage over the weekend showed residents wading through muddy brown water under pounding rain as torrents swept through neighborhoods. Floodwaters submerged shops and motorbikes in busy commercial districts.

Many parents were seen pulling their children through the water in makeshift plastic-tub boats, while trucks and buses lined up along the few dry stretches of road that remained. Other vehicles attempted to move slowly through submerged streets.

Authorities said the eight deaths in Thailand were mostly caused by electrocution and flood-related accidents. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported that at least 700,000 households have been affected since last week, and hundreds of boats and high-clearance vehicles have been deployed to deliver aid.

Across the border in Malaysia, more than 15,000 people have taken refuge in temporary shelters, according to data from the Social Welfare Department. No fatalities have been reported so far.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that civil defense teams are on full alert. He confirmed that more than 90 units of land and water equipment, including trucks, four-wheel-drive vehicles, and specialized rescue gear, have been mobilized to support evacuation efforts.