Southern Thai floods claim 22 lives, affect 750,000 people

Floods in 12 southern Thai provinces since the start of this month have claimed 22 lives, with more than 750,000 people affected by the deluge.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chatchai Promlert said the floods in several of the provinces have started to recede.

"Floods have damaged 1,565 roads, 129 bridges, 65 water pipes and 59 dams," he said in a statement, adding officials will monitor the situation and hand out assistance.

He said the weather report indicated that a moderate Northeast Monsoon would continue to bring rain to the southern provinces and create waves up to two metres high in the Gulf of Siam and the Andaman Sea.

Among the southern provinces hardest hit by floods were Nakorn Si Thammarat with 300,000 people affected and four casualties, Surat Thani with 120,000 people affected and four casualties, Songkhla and Phattalung.

Railway link to the south has also been affected by the floods, affecting passengers who depended on the transportation to commute daily. --BERNAMA