Severe Flooding in Southern Thailand

Southern Thailand has been besieged by a catastrophic meteorological event, characterized as a 'once-in-300-years' rainstorm. This extraordinary precipitation has precipitated widespread inundation across the region, with the city of Hat Yai in Songkhla province bearing the brunt of the deluge.

The Royal Irrigation Department reported that Hat Yai experienced 'the heaviest rain in 300 years,' a metric indicative of the storm's rarity and intensity. The resultant flooding has been severe, with water levels reaching depths of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in some areas, effectively submerging vast swathes of urban infrastructure and residential zones.

The situation has reached a critical juncture at Hat Yai Hospital, where the rising waters have compromised essential utilities. The maternity ward, housing 30 newborns, has been effectively isolated, with parents unable to access their infants due to the impassable flood waters. Medical staff are grappling with partial power outages and water supply disruptions, exacerbating the already precarious circumstances.

Authorities have mobilized a multi-agency response to mitigate the crisis, implementing drainage strategies and coordinating relief efforts. However, the scale of the disaster is daunting, with over 127,000 households across nine provinces affected by the inundation. The flooding has also impacted neighboring countries, underscoring the regional scope of this climatic anomaly.