In recent days, relentless and intense heavy rain has been sweeping through Southeast Asia, triggering severe flooding. In particular, the southern city of Hat Yai in Thailand has recorded a record-breaking rainfall that occurs only once every three hundred years. This severe flooding has resulted in over 150 deaths in countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The southern region of Thailand has been the hardest hit, with at least 33 deaths and affecting over 2.7 million people since last weekend. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul declared a state of emergency in Songkhla province on Tuesday, stating that the floods have caused extensive damage of an “unprecedented” scale.
In Hat Yai, the largest city in southern Thailand, the floodwaters have rendered streets impassable, leaving thousands of people stranded. Rescue operations are being carried out under extreme conditions.
Drone footage aired by Thai PBS captured a family of five, including an elderly woman, trapped on the almost submerged roof of their house. In a desperate act, they broke through the roof and were spotted and rescued in the water by emergency personnel.
A volunteer from the Matchima Rescue Center told Reuters that they received thousands of evacuation requests within three days. Many stranded individuals sent out distress signals on Facebook. One user wrote, “The water has reached the second floor where there are children, elderly, sick, and disabled people!!!” Another anxious user said, “My phone is now at only 40% battery. Every second is crucial.”
The Minister of Public Health stated that Hat Yai Hospital is in a critical condition, with about 50 critically ill patients being urgently airlifted by military helicopters to other hospitals.
In response to the dire situation, the Thai military has mobilized significant resources and dispatched the navy’s only aircraft carrier, the HTMS Chakri Naruebet, to the disaster area as a maritime command center and a “floating hospital.” The fleet also carries field kitchens prepared to provide thousands of meals daily.
However, according to Reuters, despite over 2 million people affected, the vast majority remain trapped by floodwaters and unable to receive assistance.
The cumulative casualties of the flooding across Southeast Asia are staggering. In Vietnam, at least 98 people have died in just one week. Thailand’s disaster has affected over 2.7 million people, with at least 33 confirmed deaths. In Indonesia, at least 19 people have perished, and fatal landslides have occurred in North Sumatra and other areas, with many individuals missing. Meanwhile, Malaysia has evacuated over 19,000 people and set up 126 evacuation centers in border areas to accommodate displaced persons.