BANGKOK, Nov 24 — Thailand has stepped up emergency operations in 10 flood-hit southern provinces, deploying machinery and response teams to speed up assistance as severe monsoon rains continue to worsen conditions.
Its Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DDPM) has activated operation centres and mobilised disaster-relief equipment and personnel in coordination with provincial authorities to deliver immediate assistance.
DDPM Director-General Teerapat Kachamat said they are closely monitoring weather patterns and the flood situation, particularly in southern provinces currently affected by strong northeastern monsoon winds over the Gulf of Thailand, the southern region, and the Andaman Sea.
“The severe weather has caused heavy to very heavy rainfall in many areas, resulting in widespread flooding across 10 southern provinces, including Surat Thani, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat,” he said in a statement today.
Teerapat added that flooding has affected 92 districts, 581 subdistricts and 4,146 villages, impacting 719,858 households (1,917,521 people), with the water levels across the region continuing to rise.
“DDPM has instructed disaster prevention and mitigation centres nationwide to mobilise machinery and operation teams to assist in the South, deploying personnel and resources to both flood-affected and flood-risk areas,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the northern and central regions, flooding remains in 11 provinces, affecting 49 districts, 441 subdistricts and 2,902 villages, with 144,327 households (487,255 people) impacted.
Teerapat said that although water levels in these northern and central provinces are gradually receding, the DDPM will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate relief efforts until conditions fully return to normal.
The authorities have urged residents in high-risk areas to follow official updates and warnings closely, and those instructed to evacuate should move immediately to designated safe zones.
