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Six die as floods in Thailand worsen

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BANGKOK: Thai authorities yesterday warned of flash floods across the entire south as torrential rains lash the region leaving at least six people dead. Flights were delayed disrupting holidays during the peak tourist season.

Nine provinces along Thailand's southern tail have been hit by unseasonal rains for nearly a week, with the resort islands of Samui and Phangan deluged, leaving thousands of tourists stranded or delayed.

At least 120,000 households have been affected by the flooding across the south, the Interior Ministry said in a statement, where waters have turned roads into rivers and upended rail tracks.

Ms Tuula Fitzpatrick, the owner of Moby Dick guesthouse near Samui's main party strip, said the flooding was the worst to hit the island in over a decade.

"I've been living here for 12 years and I've never seen it so bad... Some of my staff couldn't come to work," she told AFP.

The rains are unusually heavy for this time of the year, with most of Thailand normally experiencing a cooler, dry period from early November through January - a three-month long peak tourist season that is crucial to the economy. - AFP

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