Record floods devastate southern Thailand, killing 33, displacing millions

Severe flooding across southern Thailand has left at least 33 people dead and millions affected, as authorities race to deliver aid to regions overwhelmed by the heaviest rainfall recorded in centuries.

Over the past week, ten provinces have been inundated by relentless downpours, with the commercial city of Hat Yai—near the Malaysian border—experiencing a staggering 335mm of rainfall in a single day, the highest in 300 years.

Entire neighbourhoods were submerged, vehicles washed away and homes left under water, forcing stranded families onto rooftops as they awaited rescue.

Military ships and helicopters have been deployed to bolster relief operations, with officials warning that rescue workers are struggling to reach vast areas cut off by rising waters.

According to government figures, more than 2 million people have been affected nationwide, yet only 13,000 have been moved into temporary shelters. Aid groups say the majority of displaced residents remain isolated without access to food, clean water or medical support.

The catastrophe has rippled beyond Thailand’s borders, as the same weather system has unleashed widespread destruction across Southeast Asia.

In Vietnam, at least 98 people have died in the past week, while in Malaysia more than 19,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes.

Emergency officials in Thailand say water levels could continue to rise if the rains persist, raising concerns of further casualties and long-term damage to infrastructure, agriculture and local economies. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has urged calm while pledging additional resources to the hardest-hit regions.

As rescue teams push deeper into isolated communities, authorities fear the true scale of the disaster may take days to fully emerge.