12 dead, 260,000 affected as severe flooding hits Thailand's south - worst in 5 decades (UPDATES)

Al Jazeera
Tue, 26 Dec 2023 14:22 UTC

Southern Thailand hit by severe floods, people take refuge on rooftops

Tens of thousands of people in southern Thailand have been affected by severe flooding that has submerged roads and railways, forced schools to close and left some residents trapped in their homes.

The province of Narathiwat in the country's far south near the border with Malaysia was most seriously affected, with some districts submerged for days, according to broadcaster Thai PBS.

It said that "scores of people" had requested assistance and some were sitting on the roofs of their flooded homes.

At least a dozen schools in the provinces of Narathiwat and neighbouring Yala have been forced to close, while footage from the region showed homes and shops inundated with water.

Days of torrential rain have also caused problems at sea, with at least seven boats sunk in the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea since Friday.

The kingdom's state railway company said track subsidence meant that trains heading south to Malaysia were stopping at Yala, 100km (62 miles) away from the border.

Authorities have warned residents in the provinces to be ready to evacuate if the floods get worse.

Serious floods in the region in December last year killed at least three people.

SOURCE: AFP, AL JAZEERA

Comment: Update December 29

Thaipbsworld.com reports:

Seven people have drowned, one is still missing and more than 260,000 people are affected in the worst flooding in the southernmost province of Narathiwat in five decades, according to the Provincial Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office.

All 13 districts of the province have been hit by floods, although the water is receding as runoffs flow downstream towards neighbouring Yala and Pattani provinces, before reaching the sea.

In areas where flooding has receded, many people can be seen cleaning their houses of mud, which came with floodwaters. Others were seen examining damage caused to their property. Flooding is also easing in Yala province.

In neighbouring Pattani province, which is located downstream, the economic zone in the Mueang district was flooded yesterday, although the water is not yet very deep, ranging from 30cm to slightly over 50cm. Some roads have become impassable to small cars, as police put up signs to warn motorists. Draining water into the Pattani River is not possible because the river itself is swollen and has overflowed its banks.

In Pakaharang community, which is located by the Pattani River, more than 300 houses are inundated.

One climate expert pointed out that flood early warning systems are not efficient enough, as many people were had no advance notice of the flooding, leaving them unprepared and unable to move their valuables to higher ground in time.

Flooding in Pattani still remains serious, but the situation is expected to improve in the next few days, if there is no more heavy rain.

Update December 30

Bernama reports:

The devastating floods in southern Thailand have claimed at least 12 lives, with over 18,000 households in the Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala provinces still grappling with flooding.

The Public Health Ministry reported that eight people died in Narathiwat, three in Yala, and one in Pattani.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) director-general Chaiwat Junthirapong said 109,282 households in five provinces — Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, Songkhla, and Satun — have been affected by the floods since December 22.