Army grounds aircraft in South till rain stops, after chopper crash
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AS THE South continued to suffer downpours and floods, Fourth Army Region commander Maj-Gen Prakarn Cholayuth yesterday ordered all aircraft grounded until tomorrow. This followed an emergency landing by an Army helicopter at a rubber plantation in Yala's
Army grounds aircraft in South till rain stops, after chopper crash
THE NATION
The crash was suspected to have been caused by bad weather
Announcing Prakarn’s order for aircraft to stay put, Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 Forward Command spokesman Col Pramote Prom-in said the Army Aviation Centre was investigating the cause of crash landing by the weather-surveying helicopter, while the Department of Army Transport would take care of the damaged helicopter.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Warning Centre warned of worsening floods in the South – especially areas along Sungai Kolok River and in Pattani River basin – until Wednesday.
Narathiwat’s 13 districts, Yala’s eight districts, Pattani’s eight districts and Songkhla’s seven districts were all declared disaster zones, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office Region 12’s expert So Hemakul said.
“The overall situation is under control as the Royal Irrigation Department’s drainage work is effective, but people have to follow the weather news closely,” he |said, adding that residents in Songkhla’s Hat Yai economic area should watch for a red flag signal – raised 6-8 hours in advance – if they have to evacuate.
Some 150 schools in Narathiwat province have been temporarily closed since last Thursday, while the Sungai Kolok River had overflowed its banks in Sungai Kolok and Tak Bai by 2.4 metres.
Pramote said this year’s flood could be among the worst in two decades. He said state officials, police and military officers were aiding those affected and each flood-hit province would get Bt20 million for initial remedial measures.
In Trang’s Nayong and Muang districts, runoff from Banthat Mountain Range hit 70 homes and 3,000 rai of farmland – the third flood in two months.
In Prachuap Khiri Khan province, beachside residents in Muang and Hua Hin districts were warned of 2-4-metre waves and gusty winds for several days. Phetchaburi’s Chao Samran Beach saw a five-kilometre section eroded by big waves which surged seven metres inland, Tambon Chao Samran Municipal mayor Boonyod Makhai said yesterday.
