Bangkok, Nov 28 (EFE).- At least 78 people have died as a result of the floods affecting southern Thailand, according to government and emergency department data, while search and rescue operations continue this Friday. The spokesperson for the Thai government, Siripong Angkasakulkiat, indicated the day before that in the province of Songkhla, the most affected by the disaster, 55 deaths have been counted, while fatal victims have also been recorded in another six southern provinces. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, for its part, reports in its latest update deaths in the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat (9), Narathiwat (4), Satun (3), Pattani (3), Phatthalung (2) and Yala (2). More than three million people have been affected by the disaster, according to the most recent official count. Army rescue teams are transporting an inflatable raft to assist in the flood operation in southern Thailand. EFE/EPA/NARONG SANGNAK The search and rescue mission is mainly focused on the city of Hat Yai, the economic center of southern Thailand, where emergency teams continue to recover bodies once the waters have begun to recede. "Although the water situation has improved, the government continues to provide assistance. Rehabilitation and relief efforts are being carried out, and a recovery plan has been prepared," the government spokesperson said during a press conference. Cars piled up after being swept away by the current, debris, and a mantle of mud on the streets are some of the images left by the disaster in Hat Yai. Authorities warn that the number of victims could increase as more areas of the city are inspected. The floods, linked to the heavy rainstorm that also hit northern Malaysia, covered almost the entire city and in some areas reached the roofs of homes. Members of the emergency team arriving with material for the search and rescue mission in the floods of southern Thailand. EFE/EPA/NARONG SANGNAK Emergency teams had to rescue residents on rafts and distribute food from drones and helicopters. The Thai government, which took office last September, is also being criticized for its alleged lack of foresight and slow response to the disaster. Photo EFE