A dozen dead in floods triggered by rains in southern Thailand
Flash floods triggered by heavy unseasonal downpours continue to hit Thailand’s southern regions, leaving a dozen people dead and affecting thousands of villages.
Official counts released on Saturday showed that at least 12 people had lost their lives over the past week.
Several southern Thai provinces have been affected by the rains since January 1, with transportation disrupted, thousands of foreign tourists stranded and the resort islands of Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan deluged.
The Thai Interior Ministry said in a statement that the flooding had affected over 700,000 people.
Local officials also said the flood waters have damaged more than 1,500 schools in the battered regions.
Meanwhile, the Thai Meteorological Department warned of possible "heavy rain and flash floods" with downpours expected to continue for two more days.
"The situation is very bad today and tomorrow. It's still raining heavily," said Junjuda Pornsri, a metrological official.
Nakhon Si Thammarat, the capital of a province with the same name, saw a record 162.1 millimeters of rain on Friday night, she noted.
Additionally on Saturday, army bases across southern Thailand were mobilized to assist flood victims and deliver aid to the trapped citizens.
"There are two helicopters airlifting food and supplies to flood victims who cannot leave their houses," said Colonel Chaisak Pornnipatkul from the Thia Southern Army Headquarters.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha visited the country’s flood-hit areas on Friday.
Thailand's wet season usually ends in late November and heavy downpours are rare in January. Widespread floods killed over 900 people in the Southeast Asian state in 2011.
Earlier this week, Malaysia was also hit by severe flooding that left thousands stranded in the country’s two northeastern states.
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