BANGKOK, Dec. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Thailand's southern commercial hub Hat Yai of Songkhla Province has plunged into a state of turmoil as rapidly rising floodwater stalled all business and residents scrambled for assistance. Leading authorities have declared Hat Yai as a disaster-zone.

¡¡¡¡The cost of lost business was estimated at more than 500 million Baht (about 12.5 million US dollars), local newspaper the Nation reported Monday. Udom Thipdecho, the irrigation chief of Songkhla province said on Sunday that there was worse to come.

    "We would like to warn Hat Yai people to quickly move their possessions to the highest place possible as another influx of water is expected around midnight (Monday)," he said.

    Hat Yai district is the commercial center and main tourist town in the South.

    According to the local TV footage, the flooding has already forced the suspension of train services between Hat Yai and Padang Besar, shut down schools and damaged many roads.

    Many Malaysian tourists watched helplessly from their hotels, as the main road linking Hat Yai and Sadao checkpoint became impassable, making it impossible for them to return home.

    On less heavily-flooded roads, traffic was banked up for several kilometers as many car owners had parked their vehicles on bridges in an effort to save them from the rising floods.

    The situation is now so critical that the prime minister has ordered some portions of railway lines in Hat Yai district to be removed to allow floodwater to flow out of town.

    Some 200 soldiers from an army camp on the outskirts of Hat Yaiwere erecting over 100,000 sandbags to reinforce parts of the U-Tapao canal to prevent floodwater from flowing into the district, even as some roads were already 30-50 centimeters under water.

    Two army helicopters were seen delivering necessities to flood victims while squads of soldiers were repairing public utilities, attempting to restore services, said the Thai News Agency.

    Police in Hat Yai said a 37-year-old male townsman was found drowned Sunday morning, becoming the district's first confirmed flood victim.

    In neighboring Yala province, the situation was no better as one woman was drowned and another still missing. Flood at the provincial seat was as high as one meter and even medical emergency vehicles were unable to pass through with doctors and other emergency workers sent out to assist flood victims. Enditem