'Once in 300 years:' Catastrophic floods in Southeast Asia

In Vietnam, the death toll has risen to 98 in a week, while in Malaysia more than 19.000 people have been forced to flee their homes.

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Caption below the photo, Drone footage shows a flooded area in the city of Hat Yai, Photo: Reuters

Disclaimer: The translations are mostly done through AI translator and might not be 100% accurate.

26.11.2025. 08:16h

Parts of Thailand have been hit by record flooding, which has killed at least 18 people, and military ships and helicopters are helping to rescue those in danger.

Flooding has hit ten provinces across the south of the country over the past week, with the city of Hat Yai, a business hub bordering Malaysia, facing its heaviest rainfall in 300 years - 335 millimeters in one day.

Photos and videos show houses and vehicles under water, with many residents desperately waiting for help on their rooftops.

Heavy rainfall and flooding have also caused damage to neighboring countries.

In Vietnam, the death toll has risen to 98 in a week, while in Malaysia more than 19.000 people have been forced to flee their homes.

More than two million people in Thailand have been affected by the floods, but only 13.000 have been moved to shelters.

The vast majority of people are cut off and cannot get help, Reuters news agency reports.

The Thai military said it was preparing to send an aircraft carrier and a flotilla of 14 boats loaded with humanitarian aid, along with mobile kitchens said to be able to deliver 3.000 meals a day.

Medical teams on the aircraft carrier will convert it into a "floating hospital" if necessary, the Navy said.

Boats, trucks and jet skis were also sent to evacuate residents, said the governor of Songkla province, where Hat Yai is located.

The government declared Songkla a disaster zone and allocated budget assistance.

However, many people are trapped amid rising water levels.

The Machim Rescue Center told Reuters that the last three days have been inundated with thousands of calls from people pleading for evacuation and help.

Watch: People float on boards during catastrophic floods in Thailand

"Many people are trapped... Please help," wrote one user on Machima's Facebook page.

"It's very difficult. The water has reached the second floor, where the children, the elderly, the sick and the disabled are!!!" he added.

Another wrote that his household has been waiting for help for three days: "Every second is crucial now... Please help. My [phone] battery is at 40 percent."

Some wrote that they had been without food and water for days.

A video shared on social media shows three boys hanging from a power line, trying to climb to safety as the level of murky water below them rises rapidly.