BANGKOK, 5 December 2008 (IRIN) - Nine southern Thai provinces have been hit by downpours, leading to 21 deaths and affecting some 200,000 households or 700,000 people. More than 200,000 people are still displaced and unable to return home in the disaster zones, according to the Thai Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

The affected areas include Narathiwat, Surat Thani, Songkhla, Yala, Phatthalung, Trang, Chumporn, Nakornsrithammarat and Pattani Provinces. While the situation in Chumporn, Surat Thani and Trang has begun to improve, the other six provinces are still of concern, with many roads and bridges blocked and people in some disaster areas having to travel by boat, according to officials.

"We are suffering badly," Pol L Cpl Sitthipong Boonprapong of Tathong police station in Raman district of Yala Province told IRIN. On 2 December, the water level in the station was above 2m, dropping to 1-1.8m when the rain stopped.

"We had to park vehicles on high ground, save all important papers and stationery and operate from the second floor," he said. "The police officers have to use boats to travel from their residences to work and local residents have to use boats to report complaints to us," Sitthipong said.

Three schools in Raman district suspended classes, bringing to 10 the number of schools closed in Yala Province alone.

The situation is also worrying in Narathiwat Province, where 209 villages have been flooded, farmland is under water, many local roads inundated and villagers forced to travel by boat. The floods also caused the closure of schools, state agencies and many mosques in Sungai-Kolok district.  

Winai Kruwannapat, provincial governor of Narathiwat, declared the Muang, Bacho, Cho Airong and Rueso districts disaster zones after flash floods swept down the San Kala Khiri mountain range in Sukhirin district, causing the Sungai Kolok and Sai Buri rivers to burst their banks. More than 3,400 houses were under 80cm of water, and over 1,500 rai (240 hectares) of farmland were submerged.

Even though the heavy downpours have stopped in some areas and the water levels have started to recede, the Thai Meteorological Department is still urging people to be prepared since more heavy rains are expected.

Prach Boonyawongwiroj, Permanent Secretary of the Thai Public Health Ministry, said medical staff had treated more than 20,000 people injured or infected by the flood-waters.

"We haven't had any disease outbreaks, but we sent out over 20,000 first-aid kits to flood-affected residents in Songkhla, 10,000 kits to Phatthalung and gave out 5,000 pairs of boots to prevent infection from Leptospirosis        http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/leptospirosis_g.htm  [an infection caused by animal waste in the water]," said Prach.

From 9 November, mobile medical units had treated patients mostly for Hong Kong Foot (athlete's foot) and rashes, as well as flu, and some had received treatment for stress and insomnia. The Public Health Ministry has also approved a budget of five million baht (US$142,000) for flood relief programmes in the south and staff have been working in the affected areas to prevent an outbreak of waterborne diseases.

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