Severe flooding in southern Thailand has displaced over 30,000 residents and claimed the lives of 29 people, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
The affected region, already grappling with torrential floodwaters, is bracing for more heavy rainfall in the coming days. According to the Thai government’s public relations department, over 155,000 households are currently impacted by the disaster.
The flooding has severely hit five southern provinces—Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phatthalung—forcing more than 33,000 people to seek refuge in temporary shelters, according to a statement from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health.
The death toll has risen to 29, up from 25 reported on Tuesday. Mental health teams have been deployed to support affected families, the ministry added.
A resident from Tak Bai district in Narathiwat province shared her ordeal with Thai PBS, explaining she has stayed at a temporary shelter in a local temple for three days after her home was submerged.
The Thai Meteorological Department has issued warnings of continued heavy rainfall, as low-pressure systems from the South China Sea move across Malaysia and the Andaman Sea. The Department of Mineral Resources has also cautioned about potential landslides and flash floods, with alerts remaining in effect until December 5.
Disaster response teams are working to drain floodwaters and evacuate victims to safer areas. The government has mobilised rescue teams and allocated 50 million baht ($1.5 million) in flood relief funds for each affected province. On Tuesday, the Thai cabinet also approved financial assistance of 9,000 baht ($260) per family.
Neighboring Malaysia is also reeling from similar floods, with tens of thousands displaced.
Although Thailand faces annual monsoon seasons, experts warn that climate change is intensifying weather patterns, increasing the likelihood of destructive floods. In 2011, the country experienced one of its worst floods, which claimed over 500 lives and caused widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.
