Floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi’s strong rains have killed four people in northern Thailand and submerged thousands of homes, the government said Wednesday, as it mobilized the army to assist affected families.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that relief is on its way to around 9,000 people affected by the floods in the northern regions of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department confirmed the first Yagi-related deaths in the country, saying two people died in a landslide in Chiang Mai province and two more in Chiang Rai, which borders Myanmar.
According to the health ministry, medical personnel, volunteers, and rescue workers have been mobilized to relocate the elderly to safer locations.
The Thai meteorological authority also warned that more heavy rains were predicted until next Tuesday, increasing the risk of more flash floods.
“Between September 13-17, please be careful of possible danger caused by heavy to very heavy rainfall,” it said in a statement.
While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains, man-made climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.
A total of 29 people have been killed from heavy rain-related disasters since the start of the season, according to the kingdom’s emergency operation centre.