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With tens of thousands already displaced, both countries set up shelters, rescue teams and evacuation plans in anticipation of further rains.
Authorities in Thailand and Malaysia are on high alert for more rainfall after days of monsoon rains triggered devastating floods that killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands.
Officials in both countries said Tuesday they were setting up shelters and preparing evacuation plans in anticipation of more rain in the coming days.
Flooding in southern Thailand killed at least 25 people and affected more than 300,000 households last week, according to the country’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The State Ministry of Public Health announced that 34,354 evacuees remained in 491 government shelters on Monday.
Among the worst-hit provinces were Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla and Yala, where the government has deployed rescue teams and allocated 50 million baht ($1.45 million) in aid to each province. The Thai cabinet has also signed off on a payment of 9,000 baht ($260) for each affected family.
Although water levels have receded in several provinces, more heavy rains are expected in Thailand until Thursday, raising the risk of flash floods. Authorities prepared shelter, water pumps, evacuation trucks and boats, and put rescue workers on standby to prepare for more rain.
In Malaysia, five days of heavy rains lashed its east coast last week, killing six people and destroying homes and roads in Kelantan state and neighboring Terengganu state.
According to the National Disaster Management Center, about 91,000 people are still out of their homes and the damage is estimated at $224 million.
Although the rain eased over the weekend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government was preparing for heavy rains on Tuesday, followed by another monsoon surge expected on Sunday.
The floods have hit tourism, with Malaysian officials urging citizens to postpone travel plans to southern Thailand, a popular holiday destination.
While the two Southeast Asian countries are experiencing annual monsoon rainssay the scientists climate change lead to more intense weather patterns that can increase the likelihood of devastating floods.
