Floods spread in Southeast Asia

Floods triggered by heavy rains in Southeast Asia are causing serious damage across the region.

In Thailand, the worst floods in half a century have hit about one-third of the country's provinces, inundating buildings and farmland. At least 307 people have been killed and more than 2.3 million have been affected.

No major damage has been reported in the capital city of Bangkok. But rain continued intermittently on Monday and some structures along the Chao Phraya River have been flooded.

Neighboring Cambodia has also been hard-hit. Seventeen of the country's 23 provinces have been affected and more than 240 people have died. Some residents in the capital city of Phnom Penh fled their flooded homes by boat.
Floods have killed more than 20 people in each of Vietnam and Laos.

It is feared that damage from the flooding may spread further, as heavy rains are forecast for parts of Southeast Asia until the end of October.

Monday, October 17, 2011 22:13 +0900 (JST)