Floodwaters were rising as high as 2 meters (6.6 feet) in some areas, days after 335 mm (13 inches) of rain fell in the province’s Hat Yai district on Friday, the heaviest rainfall in a single day in three centuries.
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Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said Tuesday that 13 people had died in the floods, according to the Bangkok Post.
About 150,000 people were stranded by rising floodwaters in Hat Yai, Seri Supradit, director of the Center for Climate Change and Disasters at Rangsit University and vice president of the National Disaster Warning Council Foundation, wrote in a Facebook update on Wednesday.
The Bangkok Post reported on Tuesday that Thailand’s Cabinet had declared Songkhla a disaster area to release funds for a quick response to the ongoing disaster, as heavy rains left much of the area inundated.
Reuters news agency reported that heavy rains have hit nine southern provinces of Thailand, affecting about 2.1 million people, of whom 13,000 have gone into shelters, while many others have also been cut off and unable to get help.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s military said Tuesday it was sending reinforcements to help with disaster efforts, including a C-130 cargo plane with supplies of medicine, food and water, 14 rubber boats and two helicopters, the aircraft carrier Chakri Naruebet carrying doctors and a field kitchen that can supply 3,000 meals a day.
“The fleet is ready to deliver troops and respond to Royal Navy orders,” the army said in a statement. He said that this carrier can also serve as a floating hospital.
The military will assist emergency responders who said they were overwhelmed with calls for help.
“Thousands of calls have been coming in continuously over the past three days asking for evacuation and food,” said a member of a volunteer group on the Facebook page of Hat Yai’s Machima Rescue Group.
Posts from stranded people desperate for help ran into the thousands on the Facebook page, including from Pingozang Ping, who said she was one of six people stranded, two of whom were elderly. “There is water on the second floor right now,” he wrote, “pray.” help please.
Another Facebook user, The Hong Tape, wrote, “We are five people and a small child without rice and water.” “Phone reception has been cut off – the water is rising rapidly.”
Industry Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said hundreds of factories were also flooded, shutting down at least 17 power plants in the region, one of the world’s largest rubber producers and exporters.
‘Difficult and challenging times’
In neighboring Malaysia, more than 19,000 people have been moved from flooded areas to 126 evacuation centers set up mainly in the northern border areas.
In Perlis state, rescuers waded through knee-deep water to enter homes, while rescue boats pulled elderly and children to safety, fire department images showed.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Facebook that a team of rescue workers has been sent to Kelantan, the worst-hit state bordering Thailand, with the potential to move to other states if needed, as he urged people to follow evacuation orders.
“In these difficult and challenging times, I pray that all flood victims are blessed with strength, resilience and protection from any harm,” he said.
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