Sun Dec 01 08:39:00 UTC 2024: ## Death Toll Rises to 12 as Devastating Floods Lash Southern Thailand and Northern Malaysia
**BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR** – Torrential rains have caused the worst flooding in decades across southern Thailand and northern Malaysia, leaving at least 12 dead and tens of thousands displaced. The death toll, which rose sharply over the weekend, includes nine in Thailand and three in Malaysia.
In Thailand, nearly 534,000 households have been affected, with the hardest-hit areas experiencing their worst flooding in half a century. Dramatic video footage shows residents being rescued from submerged homes in Songkhla and Yala provinces, including one instance of rescuers carrying a baby from a flooded rooftop. Thousands of people are currently sheltering in over 200 temporary relief centers. The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of further heavy rain and potential flash floods.
Across the border in Malaysia, the floods have impacted nearly 139,000 people across nine states. The National Disaster Command Centre reported three fatalities since Friday.
The devastating floods come on the heels of a month of typhoons in the Philippines, which also suffered widespread damage in November. Relief efforts are underway in both Thailand and Malaysia, but the continuing threat of heavy rain raises concerns about a further escalation of the crisis.
First Piper 