Parts of southern Thailand are reeling from catastrophic floods after days of relentless rain, with at least 33 people dead and emergency crews struggling to reach isolated communities.

Authorities have deployed military ships, helicopters, and high-clearance vehicles to support what has quickly become one of the region’s worst natural disasters in years.

Hat Yai, a major commercial hub near the Malaysian border, has been among the hardest hit. The city recorded 335mm of rainfall in a single day — the heaviest downpour in more than three centuries. Entire neighbourhoods are underwater, with cars and homes submerged and residents waiting for rescue on rooftops.

The flooding, which has affected 10 provinces in southern Thailand, has disrupted the lives of more than two million people. Yet only about 13,000 have been moved into shelters; most remain stranded, with access to critical aid cut off.

Thailand’s military, placed in charge of the emergency response, said it is preparing to send an aircraft carrier and a flotilla of 14 supply boats, as well as field kitchens capable of producing up to 3,000 meals a day. Medical teams on board the carrier stand ready to convert it into a “floating hospital” if the situation worsens.

Songkhla province — home to Hat Yai — was declared a disaster zone on Tuesday, unlocking government funds for relief efforts. But rescue groups say they are overwhelmed. Matchima Rescue Center reported thousands of distress calls in just three days, many from people trapped in rising waters with no food, clean water, or way out.

Social media has been flooded with pleas for help. One resident wrote that floodwaters had reached the second floor of their home: “There are children, elderly people, the sick, and the disabled. Please help.” Another said his family had been waiting three days for rescue: “Every second is crucial now… My phone battery is at 40%.”

A video widely shared online shows three young boys clinging to power lines as they inch across rising floodwaters — a stark illustration of the desperation unfolding across the region.

Thailand is not alone. Floods triggered by the same monsoon system have battered neighbouring countries. Vietnam has recorded 98 deaths within a week, while in Malaysia more than 19,000 people have been displaced and over 100 evacuation centres established in northern border states. In Indonesia, landslides in North Sumatra have killed at least 19 people, with others still missing beneath the debris.

Heavy seasonal rain is typical at this time of year, but meteorologists say the scale of this year’s flooding is far beyond normal patterns — underscoring the growing vulnerability of Southeast Asia to extreme weather. Photo by Tarik Abdel Monem, Wikimedia commons.