Four dead in Thailand as Typhoon Yagi flooding hits northern provinces

Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains from Typhoon Yagi have claimed the lives of four people in northern Thailand, with thousands of homes inundated, the government reported on Wednesday.

The army has been mobilized to assist affected families.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that aid is being dispatched to around 9,000 families in the hardest-hit northern provinces, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department confirmed the deaths of two people in a Chiang Mai landslide, while two more perished in Chiang Rai, which borders Myanmar.

In response, the health ministry has deployed medical staff, volunteers, and rescue workers to evacuate the elderly to safer locations.

The Thai meteorological department has warned of continued heavy rains through September 17, heightening the risk of further flash floods.

Since the start of the monsoon season, 29 people have died due to rain-related disasters across the kingdom, as man-made climate change exacerbates extreme weather conditions.