Worst flooding in decades in Thailand leaves at least 12 dead

At least 12 people have died and more than 600,000 households have been affected by the worst flooding in southern Thailand in decades, according to a government agency.

The heavy rains and flash floods that have persisted across the country's south since Nov. 22 have affected 640,581 households in 10 provinces, causing around 13,000 people to evacuate and seek refuge in the 200 temporary shelters set up as of Sunday, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said in a statement. Seven provinces in the area are still experiencing floods, it said.

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Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra's administration said it is closely monitoring the situation "every hour" and on Friday approved a 70 million baht ($2 million) emergency budget to ease the impact of the floods. The government also plans an additional cash handout, debt restructuring and a rice subsidy worth a combined 166 billion baht to help support the nation's nascent economic recovery.

In neighboring Malaysia, floods had affected more than 150,000 people across nine states as of early Sunday, with northeastern Kelantan bearing the brunt. The death toll from the disaster was three as of Nov. 30, according to the National Disaster Management Agency's website.

Malaysia's meteorological department issued a warning that heavy rains would continue in Kelantan and adjacent state Terengganu, while thunderstorms are expected to hit the northern parts of the country on Sunday. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim earlier instructed his cabinet to visit flood-hit areas to provide assistance. He said ministers and their deputies have been prohibited from taking leave as the crisis continues.