BANGKOK, 8th January 2016 (NNT) - Authorities have been racing to help drain flood waters out of inundated areas in eight southern provinces.

Meanwhile flood waters in Surat Thani province have receded and a damage inspection by authorities has proceeded.

Residents in the Kanchanadit district are still struggling, as six houses were completely demolished and two bridges destroyed by flood waters. Both public and private agencies are bringing in food and fresh water to ease their plight.

While water has also been receding in some parts of Trang province, flood water is still rising in the Muang district — making it impossible for vehicles to drive along certain roads.

Rainfall in Narathiwat province has eased and flooding subsided in some areas, with the exception of the plains near the Sungai Kolok river, where five local communities are still inundated.

The Royal Irrigation Department said today that the flood situation in eight provinces: Chumphon, Surat Thani, Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala had stabilized.

The department expects conditions in the south to return to normal, within a few days or in a week at the latest, if there is no additional precipitation.