Navy prepares carrier, boats and medical teams as rains trigger widespread flooding across southern Thailand and northern Malaysia, killing 13 people.
Thailand is preparing to deploy an aircraft carrier loaded with relief supplies, medical teams and emergency equipment to its flood-stricken south, where intensifying monsoon rains have triggered some of the region’s worst flooding in years and killed at least 13 people.
Heavy downpours have inundated nine provinces across southern Thailand, with floodwaters reaching up to two meters in some areas. The deluge has also swept across eight Malaysian states, striking regions still recovering from last year’s deadly monsoon season. Authorities warn that the number of people affected could rise as more rain is forecast.
The Royal Thai Navy said it is mobilizing a flotilla of 14 boats and its aircraft carrier, the Chakri Naruebet, which will transport helicopters, doctors, food supplies and mobile kitchens capable of preparing 3,000 meals a day. The vessel can also serve as a floating hospital if needed.
“The fleet is ready to deliver forces and carry out actions as the Royal Navy orders,” the navy said in a statement.
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More than 1.9 million people in Thailand have been affected, according to officials. The meteorology agency has warned of sustained rainfall, flash floods and waves of up to three meters, urging small boats to remain onshore.
In Hat Yai, Thailand’s fifth-largest city and a major rubber-trading hub, authorities ordered residents to evacuate after days of relentless rain. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said the city was facing its worst flooding in 15 years. Calls for assistance have overwhelmed local volunteer groups.
“Calls have been coming in non-stop in the last three days, in the thousands,” said a member of the Matchima Rescue Center. “People are asking to be evacuated, others for food.”
Stranded residents posted urgent appeals on social media. “We are five people and a small child without rice and water,” one Facebook user wrote, adding that phone networks had begun to fail.
Television footage showed brown floodwaters surging through commercial streets, submerging vehicles and forcing residents to cling to floating containers as they waited for rescue boats.
In neighboring Malaysia, more than 18,500 people have sought shelter in evacuation centers. Footage from Perlis and Kelantan showed rescuers wading through knee-deep water and carrying the elderly to safety.
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urged residents to prioritize safety, calling it a “difficult and challenging time.”
Thailand’s government warned the floods could disrupt rubber production, estimating losses of more than 10,000 tons as plantations across the south remain underwater.