24 Million People Affected by “Cold Disaster” in Thailand

Mega Disasters

Blog readers will have noticed that the number of people affected by various disasters occurring globally have suddenly jumped from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, and from tens of thousands to tens of millions since November last year!

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
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526 Districts in 44 provinces declared “cold disaster zones”

At least 24 million people, or 36 percent of Thailand’s population, have been affected by cold since December 2, 2013 as authorities declare 526 districts in 44 provinces “cold disaster zones,” the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported.

Some 20 of disaster-hit provinces are in the northeast, 17 in the North, six in the Central and one in the East, said Bangkok Post.

Meanwhile, at least 17 districts in four provinces—Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Buri Ram and Sing Buri—have been hit by drought, affecting an estimated 4 million others.

It’s unclear whether the drought-hit areas have also been declared disaster zones.