BANGKOK — Torrential rains pummeled southern Thailand over the weekend, triggering devastating floods that have now claimed more than 80 lives, officials report. As floodwaters slowly begin to recede, a grim tally of destruction and human suffering has emerged.
The deluge struck 12 provinces in the south, leaving roughly one million households, and over three million people, grappling with consequences. Entire districts were submerged, streets turned into rivers, and basic services like electricity, potable water and communications collapsed in many places.
Worst hit among the affected is Songkhla province, where the death toll shockingly jumped from six to 55 in a single day, pushing the nation’s total past 80. The horrors have been widespread, homes drowned in water, families stranded, and survivors left traumatized by the destruction.
In the region’s largest city, Hat Yai, floodwaters have started to recede, but the damage is obvious everywhere. Buildings and roads are battered, debris floats where life once moved, and the path to recovery is uncertain.
To respond to the crisis, authorities have deployed emergency aid across affected zones, setting up field hospitals, airlifting critical patients to safer zones, and delivering food and medical supplies. Many survivors had to abandon their homes, belongings, memories. Some are now sheltering in temporary camps, while others wander in shock, trying to come to terms with the loss of loved ones and livelihoods.
The sheer scale of this catastrophe has overwhelmed local infrastructure. Water, electricity and communication networks are broken in many districts. In several places rescue teams scrambled to evacuate residents using boats and basic supplies, while the government declared a state of emergency in the provinces hardest hit.
Even as waters descend, the scars of loss and destruction will linger. Entire communities, once bustling with life, now face an uncertain future. Roads that once bore footsteps of daily life are torn, homes lie damaged or destroyed and the path to rebuilding seems steep.
What remains clear is that this flood is not just a weather event. It’s a brutal reminder of nature’s fury and human vulnerability. The rivers have risen, the rains have battered the land, and now the people of southern Thailand must find a way to rise again from the wreckage.