Residents evacuated as Kra Buri River floods low-lying homes in Ranong
Days of heavy rains caused the swollen Kra Buri River to flood low-lying homes and force out residents in Tambon Pak Jan of Ranong's Kra Buri district on Friday.
Local officials and agencies evacuated the affected residents, giving special attention to ailing seniors, as they moved them to safer ground. Urgency was added by the prospect of floodwaters from the Tanaosri Mountain Range forest worsening the situation later on Friday night.
Tambon Pak Jan Administrative Organisation president Weerasing Kochasing said 13 homes in Ban Plai Khlong Wan (Moo 9) were flooded and their occupants evacuated.
Officials in Kra Buri district Chalermpol Kru-ampho ordered the opening of a royally-granted mobile kitchen to aid flood victims later on Friday. Weerasing said farmlands weren't affected by this flood, although the water intrusion posed some difficulties to farmers who are about to harvest mangosteen.
Meanwhile, Ranong Provincial Administrative Organisation president Waranon Kleansin said that the agency had sent three flat-bottomed boats to act on standby at the Pak Jan Police Station's compound to help with the residents' evacuation.