South braces for another bout of floods

The southern provinces, which have been recovering from serious flooding, are now bracing for more floods as a new cold front makes its way from China bringing heavy rain.

The Meteorological Department issued a forecast yesterday saying that high pressure from China is expected in Laos, Vietnam and the South China Sea and was forecast to reach the Northeast of Thailand last night.

The high pressure is predicted to trigger an even stronger northeast monsoon across the Gulf of Thailand and the South, said the forecast.

Affected areas in the next day or two could include Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, while Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat are predicted to be affected by torrential rains from tomorrow until Wednesday, said the forecast.

Residents in the above-mentioned areas are therefore warned to prepare for heavy flash floods and possible landslides, the forecast added.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, run-off has already flooded several areas in Phrommakhiri district prompting the urgent evacuation of people from their homes to higher ground yesterday.

Heavy rain has continued in several areas of the province since Thursday, especially in Phrommakhiri district.

Provincial governor Jamroen Thippayapongthada issued a warning yesterday for all districts to prepare for possible flooding and landslides and mudslides from yesterday to today.

District officials have been ordered to prepare for the possible evacuation of people from flood-prone communities around the clock.

This is the third round of flooding in Nakhon Si Thammarat this year and the province’s big cleaning day event planned for yesterday was abruptly called off due to fresh flooding.

In Narathiwat, torrential rain that began on Thursday night and lasted until yesterday morning resulted in severe flash floods on most main roads in Muang Narathiwat yesterday morning. The flooding paralysed traffic on these roads as several stretches became impassible.

In Pattani, people living by the Sai Buri River were being warned to prepare for flooding as water levels were rising.