Hat Yai, Song Khla-
Hat Yai is facing one of its most severe flood emergencies in decades after three consecutive days of torrential rain left the city inundated and forced authorities to issue a mass evacuation order across 103 communities.
According to the Hat Yai Municipality Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center, rainfall between November 19–22 measured 595 millimeters, surpassing historic flood years in 2000 (497 mm) and 2010 (516 mm). The relentless downpour overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems and natural water retention areas, causing water levels to rise rapidly in both residential and commercial districts.
Floodwaters surged through central Hat Yai, including Saeng Sri Road, Kim Yong Market, and surrounding business districts, crippling transportation and commerce. The Kim Yong Market, a vital economic hub, has been submerged as water levels continue to climb.
Mayor Narongporn Na Phatthalung, who also heads the city’s flood response center, signed an emergency declaration early Saturday morning, warning that the situation had reached critical levels. “We are raising the red flag across all four municipal zones, covering 103 communities. Residents must evacuate immediately to designated safe areas,” the statement read.
The city’s flood defenses have been pushed beyond capacity. The Khlong U-Tapao basin, particularly the eastern tributaries around Kho Hong Mountain, Khlong Ple, and Khlong Rian, has been inundated. Hat Yai’s key flood-control reservoir, the Khlong Rian monkey cheek, is no longer able to hold back water, forcing authorities to release excess flows into Khlong Maerian and Khlong Sam Sip Met.
Meanwhile, water levels in Khlong Hwa reached 11.08 meters, exceeding last year’s peak of 10.14 meters. The surge has already flooded communities including Chan Prateep, Chan Wirot, Chan Niwet, and Rattanawiboon, with floodwaters spreading quickly into the city center via drainage tunnels such as the Sri Phuwanat underpass.
Authorities have deployed flat-bottom boats to assist in evacuating residents from submerged neighborhoods. The red alert covers:
• Zone 1: 28 communities
• Zone 2: 29 communities
• Zone 3: 25 communities
• Zone 4: 21 communities
Residents are being urged to move belongings to higher ground and relocate to municipal shelters. Officials continue to warn that conditions may worsen if rainfall persists.
Hat Yai has long been vulnerable to flooding due to its geography and limited drainage capacity. The current rainfall totals already exceed those recorded during the city’s most devastating floods in 2000 and 2010, raising fears that the economic and social impact could be even greater this time.
