Koh Lipe declared flood disaster zone
The popular tourist destination of Koh Lipe in Satun province was declared a flood disaster zone on Monday as the tiny island remained under high floodwater.
Mueang Satun district chief Suwan Chuaynukul signed an order to declare the disaster zone on the resort-island.
The province’s governor has dispatched officials to gather first-hand information on the situation in order to report to the prime minister urgently, he said.
The authorities said that the construction of hotels and resorts on Koh Lipe, which is only 3 kilometres long, had blocked natural waterways and caused the flooding.
Suwan added that heavy downpours had continued to drench the island, causing the floodwaters to remain high.
Moreover, the situation has been aggravated by the floodwater sweeping away garbage left by local communities and Morgan people, the district chief said.
Satun’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office has prepared 500 sets of foods and necessities to hand out to people affected by the flooding, he said.
Some 400 families comprising around 1,000 residents lack water for drinking and other use, as they normally use underground water, but the wells have been flooded, he explained.