Southern Thailand floods kill 13, leave thousands stranded

The floods person near thousands of radical stranded and ample areas nether h2o successful confederate Thailand and bluish Malaysia.

Thailand has declared its confederate Songkhla state a catastrophe zone, aft dense rainfall near thousands stranded and astatine slightest 13 radical dead, according to Thai officials and media reports.

Floodwaters were moving arsenic precocious arsenic 2 metres (6.6 feet) successful immoderate areas, days aft the province’s Hat Yai territory received 335mm (13 inches) of rainfall connected Friday, its highest successful a azygous time for 3 centuries.

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Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported connected Tuesday that 13 radical had been killed successful the flooding, according to the Bangkok Post.

About 150,000 radical were stranded by rising floodwaters successful Hat Yai, Seree Supratid, the manager of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre astatine Rangsit University and vice president of the National Disaster Warning Council Foundation, wrote successful a Facebook update connected Wednesday.

The Bangkok Post reported connected Tuesday that Thailand’s furniture had declared Songkhla a catastrophe portion to escaped up funds for a accelerated effect to the ongoing disaster, arsenic dense rains continued to inundate overmuch of the region.

Heavy rains person affected 9 confederate provinces of Thailand, impacting immoderate 2.1 cardinal people, with 13,000 moving to shelters, portion galore others person besides been chopped disconnected and incapable to person help, the Reuters quality bureau reported.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s subject said it was sending reinforcements to assistance with catastrophe efforts connected Tuesday, including a C-130 cargo level with medicine, nutrient and h2o supplies, 14 rubber boats and the craft bearer Chakri Naruebet carrying 2 helicopters, doctors and tract kitchens that tin proviso 3,000 meals a day.

People wade done floodwaters, with immoderate being evacuated connected a vessel successful Hat Yai connected Tuesday [Arnun Chonmahatrakool/Thai News Pix via AFP]

“The fleet is acceptable to present forces and transportation retired actions arsenic the Royal Navy orders,” the subject said successful a statement, adding the bearer could besides service arsenic a floating hospital.

The subject volition assistance exigency responders who said they person been overwhelmed by calls for help.

“Calls person been coming successful non-stop successful the past 3 days, successful the thousands, asking to beryllium evacuated and others for food,” said a subordinate of a unpaid radical connected the Facebook leafage of Hat Yai’s Matchima rescue group.

Posts from stranded radical hopeless for assistance ran into the thousands connected the Facebook page, including from Pingojung Ping, who said she was 1 of six trapped, 2 of them elderly. “Water is connected the 2nd level now,” she wrote, “Pray. Please help.”

“We are 5 radical and a tiny kid without atom and water,” different Facebook user, The Hong Tep, wrote. “Phone reception has been chopped – h2o is rising fast.”

Hundreds of factories person besides flooded, taking astatine slightest 17 powerfulness plants offline successful the region, which is among the world’s largest producers and exporters of rubber, Industry Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said.

‘Difficult and challenging time’

In neighbouring Malaysia, much than 19,000 radical person been moved from flooded areas to 126 evacuation centres acceptable up chiefly successful bluish borderline areas.

In the authorities of Perlis, rescue teams waded done knee-deep h2o to participate homes, portion rescue boats ferried the aged and children to safety, images from its occurrence section showed.

A squad of rescuers sent to the worst-hit authorities of Kelantan, bordering Thailand, could instrumentality retired to different states if needed, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said connected Facebook, urging radical to comply with orders to evacuate.

“In this hard and challenging time, I commune that each flood victims are granted strength, resilience, and protected from immoderate harm,” helium said.