Six dead, tens of thousands hit by southern Thailand flooding

Floods in southern Thailand have killed at least six people and affected tens of thousands of households, the authorities said on December 27, Report informs referring to The Straits Times.

The floods, which began on December 22, have hit more than 70,000 homes across the provinces of Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, regional officials said.

Six people, including an 89-year-old woman and a toddler, were killed in Narathiwat, deputy provincial governor Preecha Nualnoi said.

Another person was still missing following days of intense rain, which sparked flood waters that reached around 3m in height in some places, he added.

Local media footage showed streets submerged by the muddy deluge and residents taking refuge on rooftops.

Relief teams worked by night to hand out bottled water and snacks, as well as check buildings for damage or casualties.

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said the water level had reduced on the morning of December 27. Thailand’s Public Health Ministry is closely monitoring the flood situation, said Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew.