‘Once-in-300-years’ rain leaves Thai city flooded and maternity ward stranded

By Jessie Yeung, Kocha Olarn, CNN

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) — A “once in 300 year” storm has battered southern Thailand, bringing floodwaters more than eight feet high that in one city cut off access to a maternity ward holding 30 newborn babies, staff and officials said.

At least 19 people across southern Thailand have died, mainly caused by electrocution and flood-related accidents, according to the public health ministry.

The heaviest rain was seen in Hat Yai city, a major center of transportation and trade in Songkhla province, which recorded “the heaviest rain in 300 years,” according to the country’s Royal Irrigation Department. That figure refers to how rare this kind of rainstorm is, with a probability of occurring once every 300 years, officials told CNN.

As of Monday, nine provinces across southern Thailand are still flooded, affecting more than 127,000 households, according to local authorities. Some places have recorded nearly 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of accumulated rain – exacerbated by overflowing rivers and flash floods.

In Hat Yai, floodwaters reached up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in depth, sweeping through the city and inundating homes. Photos from the city show entire roads underwater, with houses half-submerged and emergency crews on boats rescuing residents and delivering supplies.

Workers at Hat Yai Hospital described a frantic scene on Tuesday, with water supplies and electricity partially cut off since Monday evening.

There are about 30 newborns in the infant ward whose parents aren’t at the hospital. “The hospital must take care of them,” said hospital nurse Fasiya Fatonni, adding that the babies’ parents “are worried but they can’t get here, the water is rising and all transportation is cut off.”

She shared photos of the infant ward, showing nurses sitting in a dark room lit only by a single lamp; standing fans have been positioned around the room to keep the newborns cool in their cribs.

The ward is on the hospital’s third floor, hopefully high enough that they won’t need to evacuate, she said.

But another nurse, Pattiya Ruamsook, is worried about the rising floods. “Yesterday, water covered only the first floor, now it has risen to the second floor,” she said.

About 500 people were in the hospital as of Tuesday, including 200 inpatients, she added, urging authorities to help deliver more drinking water to those stranded.

The irrigation department said on Monday it was working with various other government agencies and local officials to respond to the regional flooding, including sending trucks to deliver supplies and evacuate those in high-risk areas.

They’re also working to drain the floodwater as fast as possible, installing dozens of water pumps and propellers to divert floodwater into the nearby Songkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand, off the country’s east coast.

When the heavy rain ceases, the flooding in the southern provinces is expected to “gradually ease,” though authorities are keeping “special vigilance” for low-lying areas, according to the irrigation department.

The days-long downpours have also impacted neighboring countries. In Malaysia, more than 15,000 people were in shelters, though no deaths have been reported, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile in central Vietnam, flooding and landslides killed 91 people in the past week and left 1.1 million households and businesses without power – though water levels began receding on Monday, Reuters reported.

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