Historic Floods in Southern Thailand: Yala and Neighboring Provinces Devastated

Like scenes lifted straight from a Hollywood disaster flick, cars lie half-submerged on Sri Bamroong Road amidst the gushing waters in Yala—one of the four southern provinces of Thailand grappling with a deluge not seen in two decades. Alongside Yala, Songkhla, Pattani, and Narathiwat are caught in a relentless bout with Mother Nature, their streets morphing into rivers as heavy rain continues to drum down from the skies, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

In Songkhla, a place often abuzz with life, the weather gods have decided to rewrite the everyday script. Torrential rains are the new norm, making their presence unapologetically known. The bustling Kanjanavanich Road, a vital artery connecting Hat Yai and Muang districts, has been choked with floodwaters, forcing authorities to wave the proverbial white flag and shut down its sections. Instead, weary travelers find themselves steering through alternative routes like Lopburi Ramaed Road, all the while questioning if Noah would float by in an ark.

Elsewhere, educational sanctuaries have not been spared. Schools like Taveerat School, Hat Yai Wittayalai 2 School, and Hat Yai Wittayalai Somboonkulkanya School have rolled up their welcome mats, class canceled as water invaded their halls. In Hat Yai’s Ban Pru neighborhood, misery wears a familiar face; water has risen over 1.5 meters, turning a 300-meter stretch of road and countless homes into something akin to Atlantis. Approximately 250 residents find themselves unwilling participants in this aquatic horror show.

In response, the municipal powers-that-be in Hat Yai have transformed local landmarks into flood relief hubs. Ban Rai and Ban Khlong Pom School in tambon Ban Pru now serve as temporary havens for evacuees. With rainclouds hovering persistently, sandbag distribution points at Jiranakorn Stadium and Hat Yai City Municipal Park have become the go-to for residents seeking to fortify their lives against nature’s fury—an ID card being the sole ticket to a sack of sand and an iota of hope.

Meanwhile, Narathiwat mirrors a similar tale of woe. The enchanting surf of Ban Yaho School has been replaced by 90 centimeters of floodwater, classes paused with indefinite uncertainty. The Narathiwat Primary Education Service Area Office 2 has tasked schools across five districts with devising new strategies to face the watery assailant, sending the message that it’s survival of the most inventive.

The province of Yala, not one to be upstaged, is tackling what locals call the worst flooding in twenty years. Urban precincts like Sateng Nok, Tha Sap, and Budi in Muang district have surrendered to waterlogged chaos. Therefore, the Yala City municipality put forth an edict for residents: hoist treasured belongings to higher turf as the flotilla of floodwaters threatens to self-invite into every home. The Sai Buri River, agitated and swollen, carries warnings with it, urging those nearby to adopt this prophecy of precaution.

The Public Health Ministry has donned its coats of vigilance, pledging to guard 113 flood-prone hospitals and clinics until things take a turn for sunlit skies. Medical facilities are prepping to remain operational, applying metaphoric band-aids to their flood-induced wounds.

As the weekend looms near, the Thai Meteorological Department casts warnings that heavy rain will continue spreading misery across the eastern parts till Saturday, consequences courtesy of a vigorous northeast monsoon and a low-pressure system seemingly intent on overstaying its welcome. Consequently, the rails tell a truncated tale: trains now halt at Hat Yai Junction, their paths to Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat swallowed by impassable tracks, awaiting a dry promise.