Floods were reported in six provinces of Thailand on Wednesday as Typhoon Molave move towards Vietnam.
There is also a warning of heavy rain and flash flooding for all five regions.
Floods triggered by days of heavy rain and runoff affected nearly 2,300 villages in 140 districts of 34 provinces across Thailand since the first week of October, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Besides, a total of 88,346 households were affected by the floods. Five people were killed (one in Chanthaburi, Trang, and Prachin Buri), and three people were injured in Sing Buri.
One person is still missing.
The department also reported that flooding had decreased in 26 provinces but remained in six. These are Supan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Surat Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, and Ubon Ratchathani.
On Wednesday, the Moon River in Nakhon Ratchasima overflowed its banks, causing flooding in temples, schools, and houses near the river.
At Thammathanwanaram in Tham Lam Moon district of Nong Sung, the floodwater rose to almost two meters deep. The monks were evacuated from the temple and stayed in tents set up along the road.
Rescue teams used speedboats to provide assistance to the monks and local residents, as many houses near the temple were also flooded.
Two schools in the Nong Sung district were forced to close on Wednesday -at Ban Non Manthed and Ban Nong Jod. The floodwater in the grounds of the institutes was about half a meter deep.
Moreover, around 500 households in seven towns in the district were affected.
Wichian Chantharanonai, the Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, said they had issued a warning for residents of the two districts of Pak Thong Chai and Chok Chai.
People should prepare for more flooding as it was announced that the Lam Phra Phloeng dam would discharge more water to make room for the heavy rains that could result from Typhoon Molave -which will be heading to Vietnam until Friday.
Similarly, Surat Thani Governor Witchawut Jinto ordered authorities to warn residents to prepare for flash floods, high waves, and runoff.
The Meteorology Department said the Category 5 typhoon is over the central South China Sea and was moving west-northwest at about 30 km/h. It is expected to make landfall in Vietnam on Wednesday morning, then downgrade to Category 3 before entering Thai territory.
The department forecasts said that the westerly wind in the Andaman Sea, the south, and the Gulf of Thailand would strengthen, causing isolated to heavy rains and intense winds in the upper part of the country, especially in the lower part of the northeast on Wednesday and Thursday.
Other provinces are also forecast to be hit October 28-30 by heavy rains.
