Southern Thailand floods leave 145 dead, rescue and recovery efforts continue
Severe flooding in southern Thailand has claimed 145 lives, with Songkhla province reporting the highest number of fatalities at 110, according to the Emergency Flood Response Operations Centre.
Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkia confirmed the latest figures yesterday, November 28, stating that all deaths are being officially recorded as flood-related to ensure consistent reporting across agencies. Additional deaths were confirmed in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Satun, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.
The Ministry of Public Health is coordinating with the police, forensic teams, and local health authorities to update fatality data daily. Siripong noted that search and recovery efforts are ongoing, and the death toll is expected to rise.
Rescue operations carried out on Thursday, November 27, were described as largely successful. Of the 1,934 requests for help received, emergency teams managed to evacuate people in 1,734 cases, representing an 89% success rate.
The remaining requests were not categorised as rescues because some individuals had already evacuated independently, while others chose to stay after local conditions improved.
As of yesterday, more than 14,000 people remained in temporary shelters, which still have the capacity to accommodate an additional 20,000 evacuees. Daily meal production for distribution to shelters and flood-affected communities has reached over 92,000 portions and is expected to be increased to meet ongoing demand.
On Thursday, 3,000 meal boxes were distributed, although not all reached residents still stranded in hard-to-access areas. In response, Bangkok Post reported that two vehicles were dispatched yesterday to cover different routes, one moving from the city centre outward and the other starting from the outskirts inward, ensuring coverage of isolated communities.
Hat Yai and nearby districts recorded 630 millimetres of rainfall over a three-day period last week. The continuous downpour caused water to flow down from surrounding hills, flooding low-lying areas and overwhelming the city’s drainage systems.
But as floodwaters began to recede yesterday, residents faced thick mud and debris throughout the city. Many were seen clearing sludge from their homes and shopfronts.
An initial assessment by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) estimated that more than 33,000 homes in Hat Yai and its surrounding areas had been damaged.
Infrastructure was also severely affected, with five hospitals, 58 schools, and more than 700 kilometres of roads reportedly impacted.
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