Urgent warning as Hat Yai faces worsening floods; heavy rain to intensify in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat

The National Water Information Institute has issued an urgent warning that flooding in Hat Yai will worsen significantly, with additional alerts extended to Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat as heavy rainfall continues across the South.

On November 24, 2025, the institute warned that flooding in Hat Yai will intensify as water from the first wave has not yet receded, while heavy rain continues across the region. Upstream runoff from Sadao district is pouring in, with rainfall between November 24–25 in Songkhla expected to exceed 200 mm per day.

Radar images from Hat Yai Radar at 13.45 hrs were released to illustrate the severity of the rainfall.

Hat Yai flooding expected to worsen through November 25

Authorities warn that flooding in Hat Yai will become increasingly severe from today through tomorrow (November 25), as the initial floodwaters remain high and continuous rainfall persists.

Combined with large volumes of upstream water from Sadao, rainfall in Songkhla is forecast to remain above 200 mm per day through November 24–25.

From November 25, heavy rain is expected to shift further into the lower South, intensifying in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, although Songkhla will still see rainfall — but less intense than today.

Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR): U-Taphao Basin levels rising fast

Danucha Pichayanan, Secretary-General of the Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), said the office — as part of the national disaster assistance command committee appointed by the Prime Minister — has been working with the Royal Irrigation Department to track the situation in the U-Taphao River Basin.

Heavy rainfall in upstream areas has caused water levels at monitoring station X.173A in Sadao district, Songkhla, to rise sharply.

ONWR forecasts that water levels in Sadao will rise to 1.90 metres above bank level, or 0.55 metres higher than this morning’s measurement at 09.00 hrs.

This elevated volume will then move downstream and affect middle and lower basin areas.

Forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning

• 00.00–01.00 hrs, November 25
  At station X.90 in Khlong Hoi Khong district, water levels will rise 2.26–2.46 metres above bank level, which is 0.30–0.50 metres higher than the current level.
• 06.00–07.00 hrs, November 25
  At station X.44 in Hat Yai district, levels will rise 2.00–2.20 metres above bank level, or 1.25–1.45 metres higher than current levels.

The secretary-general said that water levels in the U-Taphao Basin in 2025 are now higher than in 2010, the year of Hat Yai’s historic major flood.

Authorities urge residents to follow evacuation orders

ONWR urges residents in all affected areas to monitor evacuation announcements from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and strictly follow officials’ instructions for their safety.

The office said it will continue coordinating with all relevant agencies to maximise water management efforts and reduce the severity of the situation as much as possible.