BANGKOK, Nov 27: Severe flooding in southern Thailand has resulted in more than 80 deaths, with officials reporting that water levels have begun to recede as of Thursday.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, torrential rains that began over the weekend triggered widespread flooding across 12 southern provinces, impacting approximately 1 million households and more than 3 million people.
The worst-affected areas include Nakhon Si Thammarat, Patthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Pattani and Yala. By Thursday morning, floodwaters had subsided in many of these provinces, though levels remained dangerously high in some parts of Pattani and Nakhon Si Thammarat, prompting continued concern.
Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat announced in Bangkok that the number of flood-related deaths in Songkhla province rose dramatically—jumping from six to 55 in a single day.
This surge pushed the overall death toll across the seven hardest-hit provinces to at least 82. Officials expressed optimism that water levels across all affected areas would fall below riverbanks by Thursday evening.
Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared a state of emergency in Songkhla province, which includes Hat Yai, southern Thailand’s largest city.
He described the flooding as having “unprecedented severity.” As floodwaters in Hat Yai receded on Thursday, video footage showed extensive damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure.
The disaster caused significant disruption to daily life. Thousands of residents were trapped in flooded neighborhoods, while electricity, drinking water supplies and communication networks were cut off in many areas.
Emergency response teams faced challenges reaching stranded communities due to submerged roads and strong currents.
The Public Health Ministry reported that eight field hospitals were established to support the overwhelmed Hat Yai Hospital, which could not function at full capacity due to flood damage.
On Thursday, 20 critically ill patients were airlifted to safer facilities, and emergency teams delivered food and medical supplies to healthcare workers and remaining patients.
Relief and recovery operations are ongoing as authorities work to restore essential services and assist affected communities. (AP)
