Chumphon declares five flood-hit districts disaster zones

[buksida]

Five districts of Thailand's southern province of Chumphon have been declared disaster zones due to severe floodwaters, and six schools were temporarily closed due to flooding in neighbouring Surat Thani province.

Chumphon governor Karan Supakijwi-lekakarn said the flooding situation has affected thousands of households in five districts - Lamae, Lang Suan, Thung Tako, Phato and Sawi.

The hardest-hit area was Lang Suan with floodwaters is deep as five metres in some areas, he said. A 10-metre portion of the Lang Suan-Ranong Road was swept away by the strong current, making it impassible for vehicles.

Meanwhile, Surat Thani's Tha Chana district chief Santad Na Nakorn said flashfloods from Kang Krung National Park inundated 39 villages in Tha Chana's nine sub-districts. Water levels ranged from 50 to 150 centimetres, prompting the closure of six schools, while some 500 households were isolated from outside.

Efforts to bring relief supplies to flood victims was hampered with difficulties owing to impassible roads and strong currents. Some varied watercraft have been provided by a military unit to help victims in Tha Chana Market alone.

Source: MCOT

[STEVE G]

I’m amazed at the total disregard of this story by the English language Thai press websites; 15m of flood is a pretty dire situation and as usual there is almost nothing but endless items about the political situation in Bangkok.

[Guess]

I’m amazed at the total disregard of this story by the English language Thai press websites; 15m of flood is a pretty dire situation and as usual there is almost nothing but endless items about the political situation in Bangkok.

I am fairly sure that 15M is a misprint. I have read 1.5 metres. Rivers in South Prachuap were up by as much as two metres and bursting banks . The nature of the terrain and being so close to the hills has meant that the effect was not so bad as other areas.

The danger here was the ferocity of the flow of water rather than the area of flooding.

However the lack of coverage is a little surprising. Even on ASTV, which gets a lot of support from the area, has not mentioned it much. They are more interested in Thaksin's UK visa revocation.

[STEVE G]

Yes, 15m can't be right thinking about it; there was a picture in yesterdays Bangkok Post:

[Guess]

That's fairly serious stuff. I have since seen some footage of rescue boats in operation in Tha Chana just across the border in Surat.

I will try and get some photos of this area posted