Over Dozen Killed As Thailand Battles Worst Rainfall In Centuries; Regional Monsoon Chaos Spreads (Worthy News In-Depth)

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

JAKARTA/BANGKOK (Worthy News) – Thailand has put its military in charge of tackling the worst flood crisis in years, after some areas reported the heaviest recorded rainfall in centuries, killing more than a dozen people.

Neighboring Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia are also battling severe monsoon-related disasters as extreme weather sweeps across Southeast Asia, killing several people there.

In Thailand, authorities said Tuesday they readied military reinforcements to evacuate thousands of people, including by army helicopters, but noted that heavy rain hobbled relief efforts in the hard-hit south of the Asian nation.

The southern Hat Yai city near the Malaysian border, a sprawling commercial hub and shopping destination, had suffered its heaviest single-day rainfall Friday in more than 300 years, the irrigation department added.

RESCUE OPERATIONS STRUGGLE TO KEEP UP

Officials warned that continuous downpours and high water levels are slowing rescue operations. Hat Yai Airport said it suspended shuttle services after floodwaters reached two meters (6.6 feet).

Weekend television footage in Thailand showed people wading through chest-deep brown water in commercial districts where shops and motorcycles were submerged.

Thai authorities have deployed helicopters to rescue residents and tourists stranded across the southern region, where at least 13 people have died, and more than 2.1 million have been affected since last week, according to local media.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said helicopters were delivering emergency supplies and evacuating people from Hat Yai, where thousands of homes remain underwater. Video footage showed aid being dropped onto upper floors as residents crowded rooftops awaiting rescue.

Among those trapped was Pingojung Ping, who wrote online: “Water is on the second floor now,” describing how six people, including two elderly individuals, were waiting for help.

THAI MILITARY DEPLOYMENT ALSO EXPANDED

Authorities suspended all shuttle services to and from Hat Yai Airport as floodwaters rose up to two meters (6.6 feet) in some areas.

The Thai Navy said it was dispatching a Disaster Relief fleet with troops, armored vehicles, and medical teams. The deployment includes the Royal Chakri Naruebet aircraft carrier carrying helicopters and special-operations rescue boats.

Nine southern provinces near the Malaysian border have been inundated, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said. Some 7,000 foreign tourists—mostly from Malaysia and Singapore—were stranded in Hat Yai and surrounding districts.

Flooding has also disrupted mobile networks and electricity. The Chana Power Plant in Songkhla briefly halted operations due to rising water, though other stations remain online.

MALAYSIA REPORTS DEATHS AND EVACUATIONS

Nearby Malaysia, which shares a long southern border with Thailand, announced that it evacuated tens of thousands across eight states as rivers overflowed, causing deadly incidents.

Kelantan and Terengganu—directly adjacent to flooded southern Thailand—are among the worst-affected areas, authorities said.

Malaysian officials said at least three people have died in the country’s floods so far, with thousands more displaced.

Baharin Baharom, general manager of the Malaysian travel and tourism company Cuti Cuti Langkawi Ltd, said he and other Malaysians stranded in Hat Yai were instructed to leave their hotel lobby as water levels rose.

“The second wave is worse… Guests may also be unable to charge their mobile phones as the generator cannot be started,” he warned.

Malaysia’s government activated its Foreign Ministry operations center to assist stranded citizens, saying more than 6,300 Malaysians had already been brought to safety from Hat Yai.

WIDER REGION FACES NEW DANGERS

Malaysia’s monarch, Sultan Ibrahim, directed authorities to ensure “basic amenities, food supplies and medical aid” reach evacuees in shelters.

Elsewhere, central Vietnam—still recovering from devastating floods earlier this month—reported renewed rainfall, triggering fresh landslide warnings in Quang Nam and Da Nang.

Those earlier floods and landslides left at least 90 people dead and another 12 missing, according to authorities.

In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, disaster agencies issued warnings in North Sumatra, Aceh, and Sulawesi after torrential rains caused rivers to overflow and landslides to sweep away bridges.

Recent landslides in Central Java killed 30 people, with 21 still missing as of last week.

INDONESIA VILLAGES STILL CUT OFF

Several remote Indonesian villages remain cut off due to blocked roads and damaged infrastructure.

Tourism and transportation networks across Southeast Asia face strain, with flight delays, road closures, and thousands of travelers stranded—especially in southern Thailand.

As the monsoon surge continues, meteorologists warn that more extreme rainfall is expected in the coming days.

The monsoon—a seasonal weather system responsible for Southeast Asia’s heaviest rains—can trigger widespread flooding when its surges intensify.

While several climate-change-fearing scientists have linked the turmoil to shifting climate patterns, experts have also blamed rising death tolls on rapid urbanization and aging or inadequate infrastructure across the region.

Latest Worthy News