More areas in South declared disaster zones

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the Interior Ministry would closely monitor the situation, as the number of districts declared disaster zones in Songkhla rose to eight after three more districts were added yesterday. All districts of Narathiwat are now disaster zones after five more were added yesterday.

The National Disaster Warning Centre yesterday also warned residents of Surat Thani, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat to brace for heavy rainfall caused by the northeastern monsoon, and for high waves from yesterday to Wednesday.

Addressing the public on her weekly TV and radio programme, “Yingluck Government Meets the People,” Yingluck said the southern floods resulting from heavy monsoon season rains were worrisome and that special attention should be focused on risk-prone areas. In particular, Songkhla’s Sadao district could be affected by flood water from neighbouring Malaysia, where rainfall is 40-per-cent heavier than last year, she said.

Yingluck said people who lived near rivers in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Trang and Satun should watch for possible flash floods, forest run-off and water overflow from rivers, while fishermen should also be careful of high waves. She instructed Deputy Prime Minister Pol Gen Kowit Wattana and Deputy Public Health Minister Torpong Chaiyasarn to help those affected.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri ordered public health offices in affected southern provinces to open a war room to tackle flood issues and arrange mobile medical teams to assist affected residents. The ministry has already prepared 500,000 sets of medicines for flood victims. 

Fifteen medical teams have been dispatched daily to help victims. So far, 1,500 people had fallen ill, mostly from flu and Hong Kong Foot, said Dr Phaijit Worajit, the ministry’s permanent secretary. Some 20,000 medicine sets had been sent to the affected provinces along with 2,700 life vests and 20 boats for public health officials to use. 

Songkhla’s Ranot, Sathing Phra and Muang districts were declared disaster zones yesterday, joining Saba Yoi, Khuan Niang, Chana, Rattaphum and Singha Nakhon districts, as the flood water spread. Nakhon Songkhla municipality yesterday received 20,000 sandbags to build a floodwall to protect Haad Chalathat Road, where, due to the monsoon season and unusually high tides, dozens of pine trees were felled by 2- to 3-metre-high waves. 

Songkhla Irrigation Project director Danaiwit Saibundit said officials were closely monitoring Na Thawee and Chana districts, as they were at risk of being affected by flood water from Malaysia, while Sadao district – although located on the border – should not be greatly affected because the water was blocked by a mountain range there. He said Hat Yai City should not be affected by floods coming via Na Thawee and Chana because the water would flow directly into the Gulf of Thailand, while the Sadao Reservoir was at 35 per cent of its capacity.

Narathiwat yesterday declared five more districts as disaster zones, meaning all its districts are now so designated. Governor Thanon Vejjakornkanont said 22 schools were forced to close, and one Cha Nae district resident had died. A 102-year-old blind woman, Teemoh Awae, living with her son on Saithong 5 Soi 1 near the Sungai Kolok River, sought help as her home was flooded. Meanwhile, Thai soldiers brought relief bags from Her Majesty the Queen to assist 533 families in flooded Tambon Tanyongmas in Ra Ngae district yesterday.

Meanwhile, 18 tambon in Phatthalung’s six districts remained submerged for a fourth day yesterday, affecting 7,000 residents. In some areas the flooding was as 

high as one metre. Officials were still looking for a 58-year-old man who was swept away in the flood water. Soldiers yesterday installed water pumps and used 3,500 sandbags to build a 1,500-metre-long floodwall around Jong Thanon Municipality School in Khao Chai Son district.