State of emergency declared as southern Thailand battles devastating floods

Severe flooding in southern Thailand has claimed the lives of more than 80 people as waters began to recede on Thursday, leaving widespread devastation across 12 provinces. The deluge, triggered by days of torrential rains over the weekend, has affected over 3 million people and nearly 1 million households, officials said.

The hardest-hit provinces include Nakhon Si Thammarat, Patthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Pattani, and Yala, where entire communities were submerged. In Songkhla province, the death toll soared dramatically from six to 55 on Thursday, pushing the overall fatalities across the region to at least 82, government officials reported.

Although water levels have fallen in many areas, some regions, particularly Pattani and Nakhon Si Thammarat, still face significant flooding. Authorities expect river levels to drop below critical levels by evening, bringing relief to stranded residents.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared a state of emergency in Songkhla earlier this week, describing the floods as “unprecedented in severity.” Hat Yai, southern Thailand’s largest city, bore the brunt of the disaster. Video footage captured the receding floodwaters, exposing widespread damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

The floods disrupted daily life, leaving thousands trapped, cutting off electricity and water supplies, and severing communication lines. To support relief efforts, eight field hospitals were set up to assist Hat Yai Hospital, which could not operate at full capacity. The Public Health Ministry said 20 critical patients were airlifted to safer locations, while additional food and medical supplies were delivered to healthcare workers and remaining patients.

The disaster highlights the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, with local authorities and communities now working to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of one of southern Thailand’s deadliest floods in recent years.