2010 Thai floods
| Date | 10 October 2010 – 19 November 2010 |
|---|---|
| Location | Thailand and Malaysia |
| Deaths | 232 in Thailand; 4 in Malaysia |
| Property damage | At least US$1.676 billion |
A series of flash floods hit different areas of Thailand and Malaysia in 2010. Separate but related floods began in the Northeast and Central Thailand (per the six-region definition) in early October due to abnormally late monsoon moisture over the Bay of Bengal, overflowed the Chao Phraya where the rivers meet, and affected Bangkok, and in the South were triggered by a tropical depression about 2 weeks later, and was later aggravated by related La Niña monsoon rains. Floods subsequently occurred in the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perlis in November 2010.
Although flooding is a common and annual occurrence in this part of the world, a combination of inadequate drainage and higher than average rainfall in the month of October and November 2010 which caught the nation off guard and led to disaster. The death toll in Thailand stands at 232 people. According to the Thai government data the floods affected nearly 7 million people in more than 25,000 villages, mostly by destruction of property, livelihood and infrastructure. The government announced that 38 provinces have been hit by floods from 1 October until 13 November and waters have receded in 8 provinces leaving 30 provinces still affected including 12 in the southern region of the country.
As heavy monsoon rains pummelled Thailand, floods started occurring. At the beginning, the flooding was normal and not very serious but it later worsened into a disaster. For almost a month the area remained flooded and then the waters claimed their very first victims. The southern parts of nation were in bigger trouble as a tropical depression that was to become Cyclone Jal hit the country, increasing the impact of floods by packing strong winds of about 50 kilometres per hour (31 mph) with it. Many areas were flooded with water up to 50 centimetres (20 in) deep. The local government announced that they would be giving 5,000 baht to each household affected by flooding and up to 100,000 baht would be spent for repairs. As floodwaters in the north receded, floods in the south worsened and as a result, many patients were evacuated from the hospitals in northern Thailand and new patients were brought from southern Thailand where the conditions were much worse. Due to severe flooding caused by the tropical depression, power supplies were disrupted, causing blackouts. As a result, one person died.
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