Southern Thailand Floods Overwhelm Songkhla Morgue as Death Toll Hits 55; Hat Yai Official Suspended Amid Crisis

Devastating Floods Push Songkhla Morgue Beyond Capacity as Thailand Grapples with Crisis

Southern Thailand is reeling from a catastrophic wave of flooding, with its grim impact now extending to the region's mortuaries. The primary facility responsible for receiving flood victims' bodies in Songkhla province has been overwhelmed, forcing authorities to deploy three refrigerated trucks to manage the escalating number of casualties.

Emergency Measures Amid Rising Death Toll

“The morgue has exceeded its capacity, so we need more,” stated Mr. Charn, a morgue official at Songkhla Hospital, who spoke to AFP on November 28. His comments came as the official death toll from the relentless deluge surged dramatically to 55, a stark increase from just six reported the previous day. Visual evidence captured by an AFP journalist showed large white refrigerated lorries positioned outside the hospital’s main building, a stark testament to the emergency.

Hat Yai Submerged: A City Under Water

This week's severe flooding has wreaked havoc across southern Thailand, with the district of Hat Yai, located near the Malaysian border, particularly hard-hit. Extensive areas of the city found themselves submerged under floodwaters, compelling many residents to seek refuge on rooftops as their homes were engulfed. The humanitarian crisis has prompted a swift, albeit challenging, response from emergency services.

Accountability and Government Response

In the wake of the disaster, the Thai government issued a statement on November 27 confirming the escalating death toll in Songkhla province. Furthermore, on November 28, the government announced the suspension of the Hat Yai district chief. This action was taken due to an alleged failure to adequately respond to the unfolding flood crisis, indicating a broader scrutiny of disaster preparedness and management in the region.

As the waters slowly recede, the focus shifts to recovery, victim identification, and addressing the critical infrastructure strain revealed by this natural catastrophe. The deployment of additional cold storage units underscores the severe human cost of this week's devastating floods.