Thai floods kill 14, leave thousands homeless  

Reuters

   BANGKOK -- Flooding in northeastern Thailand has killed 
at least 14 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless, 
government officials said on Thursday.
   A statement issued by the Civil Defence Centre in 
Bangkok said 14 people had died during several days of 
flooding in four northeastern provinces when the Mekong 
River overflowed following heavy monsoon rain last week.
   Flood waters still covering large areas on the banks of 
the river had begun to recede and the water level in the 
river had dropped to 8.30 metres from 10.4 metres by 
Wednesday afternoon, the statement said.
   Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless and 
large areas of crop lands were destroyed during the 
flooding.
   More than 40 people were killed late last month when 
flash floods hit southern parts of the country.