Thailand, Malaysia brace for fresh wave of floods as water levels ease

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Thailand are facing a second wave of heavy rain and potential flooding this week, authorities said on Monday (Dec 2), even as some displaced residents were able to return home and the worst floods in decades began receding in some areas.

Since last week, 27 people have died and more than half a million households in the neighbouring Southeast Asian countries have been hit by torrential rain and flooding that authorities say have been the most severe in decades.

The immediate situation has improved in some areas and water levels have eased, according to government data on Monday.

In Malaysia, the number of people in evacuation shelters dropped to around 128,000 people, from 152,000 on Sunday, the disaster management agency’s website showed.