Bangkok, Thailand
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A “once in 300 year” storm has battered southern Thailand, bringing floodwaters greater than eight toes excessive that in a single city lower off entry to a maternity ward holding 30 new child infants, workers and officers mentioned.
At least 19 folks throughout southern Thailand have died, primarily brought on by electrocution and flood-related accidents, based on the general public well being ministry.
The heaviest rain was seen in Hat Yai city, a serious heart of transportation and commerce in Songkhla province, which recorded “the heaviest rain in 300 years,” based on the nation’s Royal Irrigation Department. That determine refers to how uncommon this sort of rainstorm is, with a chance of occurring as soon as each 300 years, officers instructed NCS.
As of Monday, 9 provinces throughout southern Thailand are nonetheless flooded, affecting greater than 127,000 households, based on native authorities. Some locations have recorded almost 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of accrued rain – exacerbated by overflowing rivers and flash floods.
In Hat Yai, floodwaters reached as much as 2.5 meters (8.2 toes) in depth, sweeping via the city and inundating properties. Photos from the city present total roads underwater, with homes half-submerged and emergency crews on boats rescuing residents and delivering provides.
Workers at Hat Yai Hospital described a frantic scene on Tuesday, with water provides and electrical energy partially lower off since Monday night.
There are about 30 newborns within the toddler ward whose mother and father aren’t on the hospital. “The hospital must take care of them,” mentioned hospital nurse Fasiya Fatonni, including that the infants’ mother and father “are worried but they can’t get here, the water is rising and all transportation is cut off.”
She shared pictures of the toddler ward, displaying nurses sitting in a darkish room lit solely by a single lamp; standing followers have been positioned across the room to maintain the newborns cool of their cribs.
The ward is on the hospital’s third flooring, hopefully excessive sufficient that they gained’t have to evacuate, she mentioned.
But one other nurse, Pattiya Ruamsook, is apprehensive concerning the rising floods. “Yesterday, water covered only the first floor, now it has risen to the second floor,” she mentioned.
About 500 folks have been within the hospital as of Tuesday, together with 200 inpatients, she added, urging authorities to assist ship extra ingesting water to these stranded.
The irrigation division mentioned on Monday it was working with varied different authorities businesses and native officers to reply to the regional flooding, together with sending vehicles to ship provides and evacuate these in high-risk areas.
They’re additionally working to empty the floodwater as quick as doable, putting in dozens of water pumps and propellers to divert floodwater into the close by Songkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand, off the nation’s east coast.
When the heavy rain ceases, the flooding within the southern provinces is anticipated to “gradually ease,” although authorities are maintaining “special vigilance” for low-lying areas, based on the irrigation division.
The days-long downpours have additionally impacted neighboring international locations. In Malaysia, greater than 15,000 folks have been in shelters, although no deaths have been reported, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile in central Vietnam, flooding and landslides killed 91 folks prior to now week and left 1.1 million households and companies with out energy – although water ranges started receding on Monday, Reuters reported.