ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Flood disasters have hit a number of countries in Southeast Asia.
In Thailand, major floods hit eight provinces causing nine people to die and more than 13,000 people to be displaced on Saturday, November 30, 2024.
Local authorities revealed that this flood was triggered by continuous rain, causing around 553,921 households to be affected.
Rescue teams using boats and jet skis worked hard to reach residents trapped in areas flooded with water as high as 2 meters.
In some areas, temporary shelters were set up in schools and temples to accommodate the displaced.
In Pattani, two hospitals were forced to stop operations to prevent damage to medical facilities due to flooding.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned heavy rain could continue into next week, raising the risk of further flooding in southern areas.
The Thai government has deployed rescue teams to help affected victims. The government also allocated 50 million baht for flood relief in each province.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that the government was trying to restore the situation as quickly as possible.
Thailand, which experiences monsoon rains every year, is now facing increasingly extreme weather due to climate change.
Major floods that occurred in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes. This flood reminds us of the importance of more effective disaster mitigation measures.
Meanwhile in Malaysia, major floods hit areas, especially in the northern states. More than 122,000 people were forced to flee. This figure exceeds the number of refugees from major floods in 2014, and is even expected to continue to increase as the heavy rain continues. The death toll was recorded at four people in Kelantan, Terengganu and Sarawak.
Kelantan was the most affected area, contributing 63 percent of the total 122,631 people evacuated. Nearly 35 thousand refugees followed in Terengganu, while the rest came from seven other states.
Heavy rain since the beginning of the week caused waist-high flooding in the town of Pasir Puteh, Kelantan. The Malaysian Meteorological Department said heavy rain will continue until Sunday, December 1 2024, especially in Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak.
This flooding phenomenon is an annual problem in Malaysia, due to the northeastern rainy season which occurs from November to March.
Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, leader of the National Disaster Management Committee, deployed thousands of emergency personnel to the affected areas.
Equipment such as rescue boats, four-wheeled vehicles and helicopters were also deployed to assist with evacuation and distribution of aid. Disaster officials warned that flooding could become widespread if the rain continues.
National attention is focused on efforts to treat and provide assistance to victims, because many residents have difficulty getting help quickly. This situation shows the importance of disaster mitigation amidst the threat of recurring annual floods in Malaysia.
In Indonesia, floods and landslides hit the province of North Sumatra, killing 26 people.
The details are 10 people each in Deliserdang Regency and Karo Regency, 4 people in Padang Lawas Regency, and 2 people in South Tapanuli Regency. Hundreds of other people were reported to have suffered injuries due to the floods and landslides.
Apart from that, 2,514 people have been displaced since the disaster occurred in the last week. Around 6,987 houses were flooded and 232 other houses were damaged.
Floods are an annual phenomenon in Southeast Asia triggered by the monsoon season. However, scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of such disasters is increasing due to climate change.
The World Meteorological Organization states that the impact of global climate change is resulting in extreme weather that is more frequent and difficult to predict, putting countries in the Southeast Asia region at high risk. (AT Network)
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