Death toll in Thailand flooding jumps to 25

Authorities on guard for second wave of floods this week after heavy rain forecast

TUMPAT, Kelantan - Residents in the Malaysian town of Tumpat returned to submerged homes and shops as deadly floodwaters eased in some areas following the worst floods in decades over the weekend, even as more heavy rain was forecast as soon as Dec 3.

Peninsular Malaysia, particularly its north-eastern coast, and south Thailand have been battered by torrential rain that fueled floods, which killed dozens and damaged homes, transport links and thousands of hectares of rice crops.

In Tumpat, a coastal town in Kelantan state near the Thai border, people were able to return to their homes on Dec 2, only to find many had collapsed, with parts of walls, roofs and broken furniture lying scattered in pools of water.

Mr Muhamad Alim, a 56-year-old shopkeeper whose food store was inundated, recalled fast-rising waters in his home and his grandchildren crying as the flood surged on the evening of Nov 30. "Electricity was cut off, and there was no water supply. So, we were stuck, sitting there as if we were in the middle of the sea," he said.

Mr Alim said his family was well stocked up on food and able to remain at home until waters receded.