Storm abates after killing seven in Thailand

BANGKOK: Seven people have died in flooding across northern Thailand caused by the tail end of tropical storm Nock-ten, which left more than 60 people dead in the Philippines, officials said Thursday.

Rising waters affected the livelihoods of almost half a million people, with 16 provinces inundated since last week, Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said.

Twelve people were injured and four remain missing in floods and mudslides caused by unusually heavy rain across north and northeastern parts of Thailand due to Nock-ten, which has been downgraded to a depression, the department added.

Nock-ten, named after a Laotian bird, left at least 66 people dead and 17 others missing in the Philippines when it struck the country last month.

Most of those killed in the Philippines were said to be drowned or buried in landslides, while most of the missing were fishermen who vanished at sea when the storm hit.

Nock-ten also claimed one life in Vietnam when it arrived late Saturday.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011