Southern Thailand has been hit by severe flooding, with waist-deep waters sweeping through communities on Tuesday after days of relentless rainfall. The flooding has inundated a major tourist town, left residents trapped in homes and hotels, and claimed at least 13 lives across the region.
Authorities declared a state of emergency in Songkhla province on Tuesday as the meteorological department warned of further heavy rain and potential flash floods in the coming days.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, torrential rains since late last week have submerged the tourist centre of Hat Yai and several southern provinces, causing 13 deaths in four of the worst-affected areas.
Television footage showed rescue teams in Hat Yai using boats, jet skis and military trucks to evacuate stranded residents through deep floodwaters. Some families were seen using inflatable children’s pools to move their kids to safety.
“I was stranded for four days,” a woman told local broadcaster TNN on Monday, holding her baby under an umbrella. “I decided to leave because I have an infant and I am afraid more water will come.” She, her child and her bedridden mother were later evacuated by boat.
More than 1,200 people have been evacuated from their homes in Songkhla since Thursday, according to the province’s public relations department.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Tuesday that additional boats and trucks would be deployed to support evacuation efforts.
Thailand typically experiences heavy rainfall from June to September, but experts warn that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, making seasonal patterns increasingly unpredictable.
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