Southern Thailand Declares State of Emergency as Floods Worsen
The Thailand Meteorological Department issued a new alert warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall and flash floods across several southern provinces, including Songkhla, Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Trang, Satun, and Surat Thani, according to The Nation.
The alert followed Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s emergency declaration in Songkhla on Tuesday. The Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces has been appointed as the lead official overseeing flood management and relief efforts.
"Various agencies have sent officials to help people in all affected areas and provide them with food, essential supplies and transport to support the relief operations," Anutin told the Cabinet, according to an official statement.
Authorities warned that intense rainfall could affect up to 70% of Thailand’s lower south, increasing the likelihood of flash floods, landslides, and rapidly rising water levels, particularly in foothill areas and low-lying communities near rivers and streams.
Thai officials also deployed helicopters on Tuesday to rescue residents and tourists stranded by the floods. At least 13 people have died, while more than 2.1 million have been affected since the severe weather began last week.
Nine southern provinces along the Malaysian border have been hardest hit, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported. Around 7,000 foreign tourists, mostly from Malaysia and Singapore, remain trapped in the Hat Yai area.
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