The death toll from the massive flooding in the southern region has reached 145, with Songkhla reporting the highest number at 110, Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said today.
He based the figures on a report from the Public Health Ministry.
Nine people have died in Nakhon Si Thammarat, followed by six in Pattani, five in Satun, four each in Phatthalung and Narathiwat, and two in Trang.
The death toll represents one of the largest casualties from disasters in Thailand.
The spokesman revealed the numbers as water levels receded for the second day, allowing people who had been trapped in their homes for days to finally leave.
A tragic sight in many areas of this bustling commercial city has been the presence of bodies swept away during the flood, now washed up in various public places.
Those who discover the bodies have been alerting the authorities and covering them with white sheets.
Floodwaters in Hat Yai began to recede on Wednesday morning, enabling rescue teams and government agencies to reach previously inaccessible, hard-hit areas.
As access improves, authorities warn that the number of fatalities being discovered is likely to rise.
The Royal Thai Police announced via their official Facebook page that the Region 9 Forensics Centre has recorded over 100 bodies so far in the Hat Yai flood zone. Because forensic identification is required, the national police chief ordered mobile cold-storage facilities to be deployed to the disaster area at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Public Health has designated Prince of Songkla University Hospital as the central hub for managing recovered bodies. This measure is intended to prevent duplication, ensure accurate counting, and expedite assistance to affected families. Accordingly, all rescue units have been instructed to transfer recovered bodies to the hospital for processing.
The Public Health Ministry has mobilized forensic specialists from across the country to assist with body identification.
An initial team of 40 officials, comprised of 20 forensic pathologists and 20 forensic technicians, has been deployed. Dental experts are also being coordinated to assist with identification via dental records.
Meanwhile, several medical teams have departed from Bangkok for Hat Yai to support the forensic operations.
On social media platforms, people have called for donations of sheets to wrap the corpses.
The true death toll remains unclear. Just yesterday, Government Spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said that 55 flood-related deaths had been confirmed.
He emphasized that the Emergency Flood Situation Command Centre does not want any public confusion over the death toll and stated that the numbers will only be released once verified by the Ministry of Public Health.
He also asserted that there is no reason for the government to conceal the actual number of fatalities.
