At least 30 people have died in Thailand and Malaysia in the worst flooding the region has experienced in years. In Thailand, about 664,000 households were affected, and in Malaysia, 152,000 people have been evacuated.
The region experienced six months of rainfall in just five days from the northeast monsoon. The floods caused millions of dollars in damage to farmers, submerging rice fields and damaging roads, houses and public infrastructure.
Key facts:
- In Thailand, 98 health facilities and many schools were forced to close.
- On Dec. 2, the health ministry in Thailand said 34,354 evacuees remained at 491 government shelters.
- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told parliament that repairing infrastructure damaged by floods would cost an estimated $224 million.
- More heavy rain is expected in the coming days, and both countries have set up shelters and evacuated residents ahead of more flooding.
Flooding by region
As of Nov. 28, 25 districts in seven Malaysian states (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perak, Perlis, Sarawak and Terengganu) have been affected by floods, with 52,360 people displaced. Authorities have activated 385 evacuation centers to support the displaced population.
In Thailand, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported flooding over the Southern Region in Satun, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala provinces.
Northeast monsoon
The northeast monsoon, sometimes called a winter monsoon, lasts from October to April and is generally weaker than its summer equivalent. The dry winter monsoon blows from the northeast, with winds starting in the air above Mongolia and northwestern China. However, the Himalayas prevent much of the cool air from reaching places like southeast Asia, which keeps them warm all year. Winter monsoons are sometimes associated with droughts.
According to National Geographic, “Unlike the western part of Southeast Asia, the eastern, Pacific coast of Southeast Asia experiences its rainy season in the winter. The winter monsoon brings moist air from the South China Sea to areas like Indonesia and Malaysia.”
Many people in Southeast Asia rely on monsoon rains to fill their aquifers and water their crops. However, shifts in rainfall patterns can cause rainfall deficits, poor soil quality and an increased risk of drought, which reduces crop yields. Likewise, intense rainfall can cause massive flooding and mudslides, destruction of crops, and the deaths or displacement of many people.
Cash assistance
As with most disasters, experts recommend cash donations, which allow on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the greatest area of need, support economic recovery and ensure in-kind donation management does not detract from disaster recovery needs.
Many people lost everything in the floods. Direct cash assistance allows families to purchase items and services locally that address their multiple needs. It gives each family flexibility and choice, ensuring that support is relevant and timely. Cash assistance can also help move families faster toward rebuilding their lives.
Long-term recovery needs
Mental health services and income supplementation are critical for long-term recovery in communities affected by disasters, especially for those who experience disasters more regularly.
Mercy Malaysia is providing mental health and well-being services to flood-affected people and frontline emergency responders. Additionally, Mercy Malaysia is supporting the livelihoods lost in the floods by increasing the income sources for rural communities and low-income households that rely on agriculture, fishing and other industries affected by floods.
Vulnerable populations
After a disaster, gender-based violence against women and girls, including sexual assault and trafficking, is common.
According to Prevention Web, “Many studies have shown that disasters, including tsunamis, hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods, disproportionately affect women and girls, who are at greater risk of violence and exploitation than men and boys in the face of uprooted housing and traditional support structures, disrupted access to services, and both structural and social obstacles to accessing food, relief, supplies, and latrines.”
The protection and security of children is also a major concern.
Additionally, other marginalized groups, including refugees, people with disabilities, older people and transgender people, experience greater difficulties in accessing essential aid and services and are vulnerable to abuse, violence and exploitation.
CDP has a Global Recovery Fund that allows donors to meet the ongoing and ever-expanding challenges presented by global crises. Select 2024 Southeast Asia Floods from the dropdown menu.
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Philanthropic contributions
If you have questions about donating to the CDP Global Recovery Fund, need help with your disaster-giving strategy or want to share how you’re responding to this disaster, please contact development.
(Photo: Flooding in Kelantan State, Malaysia, Dec. 5, 2024. Credit: USAID via X)
Recovery updates
If you are a responding NGO, please send updates on how you are working on recovery from this disaster to Tanya Gulliver-Garcia.
We welcome the republication of our content. Please credit the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.
More ways to help
CDP recommends that you ask the experts if you are considering supporting an organization or fund that is positioned to work in an affected area.
- CDP’s team is ready to help you with resources and support in responding to this disaster. You can find a variety of resources on our website or reach out to one of the contacts above for more information. CDP’s grantmaking team can directly fund local and national actors. Our pooled funds also allow for significant impact.
- InterAction can provide resources and guidance about organizations working in affected communities.
Resources
Floods
Flooding is our nation’s most common natural disaster. Regardless of whether a lake, river or ocean is actually in view, everyone is at some risk of flooding. Flash floods, tropical storms, increased urbanization and the failing of infrastructure such as dams and levees all play a part — and cause millions (sometimes billions) of dollars in damage across the U.S. each year.
Emergency and Interim Shelter
After a disaster, shelter is more than a place to rest, it is a place of security, access to food, water and medical treatment. A place to start recovering after a disaster.
Monsoon Seasons
While often thought of as long-term heavy rain over a specific area, a monsoon is actually the name for a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing winds. It can bring either extremely wet or extremely dry weather to an area.
