The Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reports, in a story published in English, that the Nikon factory in Thailand, and two out of three Sony factories in Thailand, all of which produce DSLR cameras and lenses, have "no prospect of recovery" after being damaged in recent flooding. The exact implications of that phrase aren't exactly clear since, given time, any factory could be rebuilt from scratch, but at the very least it indicates that no quick recovery is likely.

In related news, Sony Japan has announced it is indefinitely delaying introduction of the NEX-7 and Alpha A65 cameras. (We recently reported that Sony Canada had advised its dealers that the NEX-7 would be delayed.)

Nikon's Thai factory, located in  Ayutthaya, produces all of its APS-C format DSLR cameras, which account for 90% of Nikon's DSLR production, according to Yomiuri Shimbun. The factory also produces many Nikkor lenses. Last week, Nikon reported that the first floor of its factory was submerged; you can see that all too clearly in this photo, taken on or about October 11.

Sony has two factories in the same region and both are flooded. Yomiuri Shimbun's story states that all of Sony's DSLR cameras are manufactured in Ayutthaya (whether in one or both factories is unclear), meaning all of Sony's DSLR production is now halted.