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Articles: Thailand floods death toll rises

Posted by admin on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 07:37 AM

Floods in southern Thailand have killed 27 people over the past two weeks, officials have said.

The main road of flooded city of Hat Yai, southern Thailand 18/12/05

There are fears that floods will bring disease

Interior Minster Knogsak Wantana said more than 400,000 people were affected in nine provinces that were declared a disaster zone over the weekend.

The flooding has left more than 2,000 tourists stranded on islands in the Gulf of Thailand, reports say.

In neighbouring Malaysia, five people were killed and four others were feared drowned in the north of the country.

The latest Thai death toll was announced by the country's Disaster Prevention Centre on Monday, without further elaboration.

The Thai army - using helicopters and ships - and relief teams have been taking emergency supplies to the flooded areas, some of which remain completely cut-off because of high water levels.

One of the worst-hit is Pattani province, where some 12,000 people have been evacuated, officials say.

The provinces of Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat have also been affected.

Some 2,200 foreign tourists have been cut off on islands in the Gulf of Thailand due to the closure of passenger boat services, Thailand's TNA news agency reported.

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