PATTANI: Authorities are gearing up to extend assistance to more residents, as the floodwater which has inundated the southern province for almost a week isn't expected to recede until later this week.
On Monday, governor Rachit Sudphum called a meeting with all agencies concerned to plan rehabilitation schemes for residents whose farms were affected by the severe floods.
Water levels are expected to recede later in the week, as the discharge at Bang Lang reservoir in Yala's Bannang Satar district was reduced at midnight on Sunday, authorities said.
The reservoir's spillways were opened as heavy rains which began last week caused water levels in the dam to rise quickly, causing the Pattani River to burst its banks.
Authorities said they were still closely monitoring water levels in the reservoir.
Mr Rachit declared the entire province a disaster zone on Saturday as floods were reported in all districts, with Muang district hit the hardest.
As of Sunday, a total of 14,281 households were affected by floods. One person died after being electrocuted, while another was reported missing after being swept away by strong currents in the Pattani River.
Pattani bore the brunt of the heavy rains which have pounded the southern provinces for almost a week.
Thousands of rai of agricultural areas and homes were flooded -- some up to the rooftops.
According to the latest data released by the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, three people were killed and 62,270 households affected by the floods in Narathiwat, Pattani, Songkhla and Yala.
The department said it was working closely with authorities concerned to provide flood relief to the affected residents.
Once the flood water recedes, it would assess the damage to properties and provide financial help, it said.
Satellite photos released by the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) showed that almost 40,000 rai of land was underwater.
Meanwhile, the photos taken by COSMO-SkyMed-4 estimated that at least 38,000 rai of land -- agricultural and residential -- were submerged.