DHAKA: At least 12 people have died and many villages been submerged after heavy rains caused severe flooding in southern Thailand.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected with water levels reaching “roof-high” in some areas, Thailand's interior ministry said, reports the BBC.

Transport services, including flights, have been disrupted and rescue efforts are under way to reach those stranded.

The unseasonal downpour is expected to continue for at least two more days.

The flash floods have also damaged hundreds of schools and toppled power cables across southern Thailand.

Residents in villages across the region are using inflatables, such as rubber rings, to cross submerged roads.

Meanwhile, the airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat province has been forced to close after the area received a record 162mm (6.4 in) of rain on Friday, officials said.

In response to the crisis, the Thai navy has stationed its largest ship in the South to act as a floating command centre, dispatching aid using helicopters and small boats.

It comes at an unfortunate time for the Thai economy, which relies heavily on tourism, with this being peak holiday season.

In 2011, devastating floods in southern Thailand displaced thousands of people in more than a third of the country's provinces, resulting in more than 600 deaths.

BDST: 0855 HRS, JAN 08, 2017
AP