“Once-in-300-Years” Rain Leaves Thai City Flooded, Maternity Ward Stranded

“Once-in-300-Years” Rain Leaves Thai City Flooded, Maternity Ward Stranded

A catastrophic storm, described by officials as a “once-in-300-years” event, has wreaked havoc in southern Thailand, leaving cities submerged and cutting off access to essential services, including a maternity ward. The severe flooding, which has already claimed at least 19 lives, has affected Hat Yai city, a major trade and transportation hub in Songkhla province, where floodwaters reached up to 8 feet in some areas.

According to the Royal Irrigation Department, the rainstorm that struck over the weekend brought the heaviest rainfall the region has seen in three centuries, a rare phenomenon with a one-in-300-year probability. As of Monday, nine provinces in southern Thailand remained under floodwater, with more than 127,000 households affected by the deluge. The total rainfall in some areas has surpassed 400 millimeters (15.7 inches), with overflowing rivers and flash floods exacerbating the situation.

Devastating Floods in Hat Yai

The most severe flooding was reported in Hat Yai, where streets were inundated, homes submerged, and entire neighborhoods cut off. Photographs from the city depict dramatic scenes: roads turned into rivers, houses half-submerged, and emergency workers navigating through the waters in boats to rescue stranded residents and deliver food and supplies.

As floodwaters surged, the situation at Hat Yai Hospital turned dire. The facility, already dealing with power outages and disruptions to water supplies, became the focal point of a growing crisis. Among the hospital’s patients were about 30 newborn babies in the maternity ward, who were trapped on the third floor as water levels rose.

“The hospital must take care of them,” said nurse Fasiya Fatonni. She explained that parents of the babies, some of whom were unable to reach the hospital due to impassable roads, were understandably worried. “The water is rising and all transportation is cut off,” she added.

Stranded Newborns and Staff Amid Rising Floodwaters

Inside the hospital’s infant ward, a dimly lit room offered little comfort to the staff and the babies. Nurses worked tirelessly to care for the newborns in near-darkness, relying on a single lamp to light the room. Standing fans were placed around the ward to keep the babies cool, as the temperature rose in the absence of electricity.

Despite the challenging conditions, staff hoped that the ward’s location on the third floor would keep the babies safe, at least for now. However, concerns were growing. Nurse Pattiya Ruamsook said, “Yesterday, the water only covered the first floor. Now it has risen to the second floor.” The floodwater continued to encroach on the hospital, endangering both patients and staff.

As of Tuesday, approximately 500 people were stranded at the hospital, including 200 inpatients, many of whom were vulnerable to the effects of the rising waters. With supplies running low, the hospital urgently appealed to local authorities for more drinking water and other essentials.

Efforts to Mitigate the Flood Crisis

Local authorities and the Royal Irrigation Department have been working around the clock to address the crisis. The department has dispatched teams to drain floodwaters as quickly as possible, using water pumps and propellers to redirect the flow into nearby Songkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand.

Meanwhile, the government is mobilizing resources to deliver food, drinking water, and medical supplies to flood-stricken areas, including to Hat Yai Hospital. Additionally, trucks have been sent to evacuate people from high-risk areas and to provide aid to the most affected provinces.

Despite the ongoing efforts, the floodwaters are expected to remain for several days, with the situation gradually improving only when the heavy rains cease. However, authorities are maintaining heightened vigilance for low-lying areas that remain susceptible to further flooding, especially as rivers remain swollen.

Regional Impact and International Consequences

The storm’s impact has extended beyond Thailand’s borders, with neighboring Malaysia also experiencing severe weather. More than 15,000 people have sought shelter in Malaysia, although no deaths have been reported so far. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, continuous rainfall and subsequent landslides have caused 91 fatalities over the past week, with over a million households without power. In some areas, water levels began to recede on Monday, offering a glimmer of hope for recovery.

A Devastating Reminder of Nature’s Power

The unprecedented rainstorm and subsequent flooding in southern Thailand serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather events, especially in areas where infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle such large-scale disasters. With the region still reeling from the aftermath, the priority now is to continue rescue operations, restore vital services, and ensure the safety of those still trapped by the rising waters.