Death toll following floods in Thailand reaches 54

Death toll following floods in Thailand reaches 54

2011-08-31 07:10:28 GMT+7 (ICT)

BANGKOK (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll as a result of flooding in various parts of Thailand reached 54 on Tuesday, the government said. Most of the casualties are a result of Tropical Storm Nock-Ten.

The remains of Nock-Ten, which is also known as Tropical Storm Juaning, made landfall in Thailand in late July, causing serious flooding and flash floods in parts of the country. Many regions remain flooded, both because of the storm and monsoon.

On Tuesday, the Thai government said the death toll as a result of the flooding had risen to 54. In addition, some 1.13 million households or about 3.87 million people in 36 provinces have suffered from flash floods and mudslides caused by monsoon and Nock-Ten.

Until now the waters have not yet receded in 11 provinces of central Sukhothai, Pichit, Pitsanulok, Nakhon-Sawan, Ayudhaya, Ang-Thong, Chainat and northeastern Udon-Thani and southern Phang-nga, Ranong and Suratthani, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

Several thousand square kilometers of farmland have been damaged by the floodwaters. A Thai cabinet meeting has agreed to pay farmers affected by flooding 2,222 baht per rai ($74 per 0.016 square kilometers).

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department on Tuesday morning issued a warning for people in the north and northeast to brace for heavy rain and possible flash floods over the next few days.

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