Thailand has declared 11 districts in a province in the
south as disaster zones following heavy rains.
Nakhon Si Thammarat remained
seriously flooded and the rising waters have spread to neighbouring Phatthalung
province, prompting authorities to declare areas there as disaster zones.
Forest floods have engulfed
several homes in two tambon in Si Chon district, stranding a large number of
residents and leading many others to be evacuated. A number of villages have
been isolated without electricity after 80-cm-high flood water covered a major
road.
Nop Phitam district, hit again
by flash floods, which killed many in 2010, has also been isolated after more
flash flooding damaged a main bridge. Villagers escaping from tambon Krung
Ching reported mudslides and falling rocks, which damaged their homes but
caused no casualties.
At a waterfall in Lan Saka
district, 70 tourists have been stranded by forest floods and were being
rescued at press time. Disaster status has now been declared in three districts
- Nopphitam, Si Chon and Tha Sala - out of 23.
In Phatthalung, residents in
six districts: Tamot, Kong Ra, Sri Nagarindra, Si Banphot, Pa Phayom and Pa
Bon, all adjacent to Banthad mountain range, have been advised to brace for
possible mudslides, and forest and flash floods. Local relief authorities said
more than 12,000 families in 162 villages have been affected and 220,000 rai of
farmland submerged or damaged.
Krabi boats wrecked
Twenty-eight passenger boats
docked off the coast of Krabi at Ao Nang, Khlong Haeng and Nam Mao bays
capsized yesterday in high seas, causing around Bt1 million in property damage
to owners. Tidal waves and storms began hitting the shore at 4am Monday, overturning
the vessels, most of which have not been salvaged.
Songkhla remains heavily
flooded, with the highest level of 2 metres at a new location - Fasai housing
estate in Hat Yai, although the peak inundation is believed to have passed. A
main road heading to Hat Yai airport is under 70cm of floodwater.
Currents in major canals in Hat
Yai, connecting waterways from outer areas with sea outlets, are peaking,
including Poh Mor canal in urban areas of the business district.
Provincial governor Krissada
Bunraj said dredging of U Taphao canal was necessary, based on His Majesty's
suggestion in 1988 during a flood. Although it might cost Bt1 billion, the
dredging could potentially save the business operations and prevent a Bt10 billion
loss in revenue.
Krissada said a request for
this budget for the dredging had been submitted to the government, with HM the
King’s advice attached to it.
The flood in Hat Yai and
Songkhla, which borders Malaysia, has also affected tourism, with a room
occupancy rate of only 15 to 20 per cent, from a total of 20,000 rooms, said
Somchart Phimthana-phoonphorn, head of the hotel association in Hat
Yai-Songkhla.
Public relations campaigns are
being planned and will soon advise Thai and foreign tourists that the current
flood situation is not as serious as the year before, he added.
Surat Thani took the first
flood hit on Monday night, with three tambons in Kanchanadit district
submerged, and many key roads now under 80 cm of flood water, leaving 300 households
isolated.
The floods also blocked a
section of Route 41 in Chumphon’s Lang Suan district, covering it with up to 80
cm of water. Other key submerged roads are Route 401 (Surat-Nakhon Si
Thammarat), a Route 4 section from km markers 149-151. The flooded roads are
still passable but require reserved lanes to keep traffic flow at a minimum.
News Desk
The Nation
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