(Bangkok) Floods caused by three days of heavy rain have left one dead and thousands displaced in southern Thailand, where more precipitation is still expected, authorities announced Thursday.
Posted at 10:04 a.m.
The floods caused the death of a student in Narathiwat province and forced more than 2,700 people to leave their homes, Wasan Chaitaweewong, the head of local relief and disaster prevention services, told AFP.
The incessant rains also forced the closure of 65 schools, he said.
A heavy rain warning remains in effect, with continued rainfall forecast over 70% of the province until early December, according to the Thai Meteorological Department.
More than 500 soldiers and volunteers were deployed to distribute relief kits and help evacuate residents to safer areas.
Narathiwat Governor Trakul Totham said a team has been set up to speed up drainage of water in the affected areas.
A clothing store lost its entire stock of merchandise in the floods. “The water came from behind and took us by surprise,” an employee told local channel Amarin TV.
Although Thailand is used to monsoon rains, climate change is causing more intense weather events leading to devastating floods, scientists say.
In 2011, large-scale floods in Thailand killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes across the country.
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