Severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia has resulted in at least 13 deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands of residents, according to government officials in both nations. In response, the Thai government declared its southern Songkhla province a disaster zone on Nov. 26, 2025, to mobilize resources for the ongoing relief efforts.
Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported 13 fatalities from the floods, the Bangkok Post stated on Tuesday. The flooding followed intense rainfall, with the Hat Yai district in Songkhla province receiving 335 millimeters (13 inches) of rain on Nov. 24, which local media described as the highest single-day total recorded in the area. Water levels in some locations were reported to be as high as 2 meters (6.6 feet).
The Thai cabinet’s designation of Songkhla as a disaster zone allows for the allocation of emergency funds for response and recovery. According to the Reuters news agency, heavy rains have affected nine southern provinces, impacting an estimated 2.1 million people and prompting 13,000 to move into temporary shelters.
Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, posted on social media that approximately 150,000 people required assistance in Hat Yai. Industry Minister Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana reported that hundreds of factories in the region have flooded, taking at least 17 power plants offline.
The Thai military announced on Tuesday that it was deploying additional resources to support emergency operations. A military statement confirmed the deployment of a C-130 cargo plane with medicine and food, 14 rubber boats, and the aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet. The carrier is equipped with two helicopters, medical staff, and field kitchens capable of producing 3,000 meals per day, and can function as a floating hospital.
Emergency services reported a high number of requests for help. A volunteer with the Hat Yai Matchima rescue group posted on the group’s social media page that they had received thousands of calls for evacuation and food supplies over a three-day period.
In neighboring Malaysia, authorities have relocated more than 19,000 people to 126 evacuation centers, mostly in the northern states of Perlis and Kelantan, which border Thailand. Images from the country’s fire department showed rescue teams evacuating residents, including children and the elderly, from inundated homes.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated on Facebook that rescue teams were sent to the most affected areas and urged the public to comply with evacuation orders.
“In this difficult and challenging time, I pray that all flood victims are granted strength, resilience, and protected from any harm,” Anwar said in the post.
