Floods hit Malaysia, Thailand

Straits Times 23 Nov 09;

KUALA LUMPUR: Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated after heavy monsoon rains caused flooding in Thailand and Malaysia.

A two-year-old boy drowned in the province of Songkhla, and some areas in southern Thailand have been declared disaster zones, reported the Thai News Agency.

Thail Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said that aid will be dispatched to the flood-affected areas, the Bangkok Post reported.

Days of continuous heavy rain triggered flash floods in four southern Thai provinces - Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang and Narathiwat - and caused temperatures to plunge in Kalasin in the north-east.

Temperatures in Kalasin dropped to 6 deg C to 9 deg C in mountainous areas, reported The Nation newspaper.

Passenger train services from Hat Yai to Padang Besar district bordering Malaysia were also disrupted briefly at the weekend.

In neighbouring Malaysia, thousands were affected in the northern states of Kelantan and Terengganu, reported the Bernama news agency.

Malaysia's Meteorological Department has raised the flood alert level to red, its highest level.

Intermittent rain, occasionally heavy in Kelantan, is expected to persist until the middle of this weak.

Sungai Kelantan burst its banks at the weekend, and the water levels at many points along the river remained above dangerous levels.

It was the second time in a month that northern Malaysia had been hit by flash floods.

Floods hit Kelantan and Terengganu early this month, causing thousands to be evacuated from their homes. Two people died in the floods.

In Thailand, 18 people were killed earlier this month after monsoon rains triggered floods and mudslides in 10 provinces in the south.