Severe floods in southern Thailand have killed 61 people, officials say, as rains begin to ease after two weeks. The flooding has affected more than 2 million people in 10 provinces, the country’s disaster prevention agency said. As the Health Ministry continues to treat the injured and ill and monitor their condition, around 30,000 medical kits have been delivered to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani alone.
Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said Friday 46 of the victims died by drowning, eight in mudslides and two were electrocuted. Thailand has already faced floods in October 2010. According to the Thai government data the October 2010 floods Nearly affected 7 million people in more than 25,000 villages, mostly by destruction of property, livelihood and infrastructure.
Victims were either swept away by the rising waters, or buried in mudslides as the unseasonably wet weather deluged the homes and businesses of around a million people in what should be one of the hottest months of the year. Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva flew to the south to visit Thailand-flood-hit areas on Wednesday morning. Thousands of roads and bridges and hundreds of buildings have been damaged, and swathes of land remain swamped by flood waters.
The largest number of fatalities have been registered in Nakhon Si Thammarat with 27. The flooding affecting eight southern provinces was precipitated by incessant storms beginning in late March and continuing into April.
