Floods leave at least 4 people dead after more than 500 mm (19.7 inches) of rain in 24 hours, Thailand

Extremely heavy monsoon rains caused severe floods in southern Thailand over the past couple of days, leaving at least 4 people dead. The hardest hit were the provinces of Narathiwat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Songkhla.

Parts of southern Thailand recorded more than 500 mm (19.7 inches) of rain on December 17 and 18, affecting more than 55 000 people in the provinces of Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.¹

In 24 hours to December 18, Narathiwat recorded 545.4 mm (21.47 inches) of rain, Songkhla 401.5 mm (15.8 inches), and Pattani 310.5 mm (12.2 inches), according to data provided by the Thai Meteorological Department. ²

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) said three people died in Narathiwat after being swept away by flood waters. Almost 30 000 households across 13 districts have been affected by flooding, including Sukhirin, Si Sakhon, Rueso, Ra-ngae, Chanae, Mueang Narathiwat, Cho-airong, Su-ngai Padi, Bacho, Waeng, Su-ngai Kolok, Tak Bai and Yi-ngo.

In Songkhla, flooding struck 8 districts — Mueang Songkhla, Rattaphum, Khuan Niang, Hat Yai, Na Mom, Chana, Bang Klam and Ranot, impacting 11 616 households and leaving at least one person dead.

References:

¹ Flood Malaysia, Thailand – Floods – Update – DG ECHO – December 20, 2022

² Thailand and Malaysia – Floods Leave 4 Dead, Thousands Displaced – FloodList – December 19, 2022

Featured image credit: DDPM