Flooding caused the closure of nearly 100 schools in Narathiwat and Yala on Friday, with tens of thousands of people rushing to save their household possessions.
The road in front of Islam Bamrung School is flooded in Sungai Padi district, Narathiwat, on Friday. (Photo by Waedao Harai)
Authorities said 80 schools were closed in Narathiwat province as floodwater made many roads impassable.
Floods reached low-lying areas in all 13 districts of Narathiwat and all the districts were delcared flood-stricken to facilitate the use of disaster relief funds and disbursement of supplies to victims.
The levels of the floodwater were rising in Muang Narathiwat, Rangae, Cho Airong, Si Sakhon and Rueso districts.
Many people parked their vehicles on roads which are above the floods, and some stayed in tents to guard their automobiles.
Soldiers deployed flat boats to help commuters and distributed bags of necessities donated by royalty.
Flood assistance reached communities in Dusongyor sub-district of Chanae district, which was hit by runoff late Thursday night. About 30 houses were flooded with water up to four metres deep.
Col Ekawut Khongkhakhet, commander of the 46th paramilitary ranger regiment that delivered the assistance, quoted some old villagers as saying it was the severest flooding in Chanae district in five decades. More than 26,000 people were in trouble and about 2,000 villagers were evacuated from there.
In Yala province, 12 flooded schools were closed in Muang Yala, Yaha and Raman districts after the Sai Buri River overflowed its banks.
Flooding on Wednesday has affected more than 17,000 people in seven districts of Yala.