Since 21 July, heavy rains have inundated 12 provinces, mostly in the northern and central regions, according to Thailand’s department of disaster prevention and mitigation.

“We are closely monitoring the impact of rainstorm Wipha and coordinating with affected provinces to assist those in need,” the agency said in a statement on its official Facebook page.

Images on social media showed murky floodwaters, sandbags stacked outside homes, and residents using plastic boats to navigate submerged streets.

However the kingdom’s meteorological department predicts rainfall will ease in the coming days.

While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains between May and October, scientists say man-made climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.

Widespread flooding across Thailand in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes around the country.