Nurse, policeman among Trang’s flood fatalities
A HIGHLY regarded nurse of 12 years service in Trang province’s Rassada district drowned inside her car late on Thursday night when her vehicle fell off the bridge on a flooded road, while a policeman’s body was found in the back of his flooded Huay Yot district home.
They were Trang’s first flood fatalities since heavy rains and floods hit the South last week.
As well, Yan Ta Khao district man, Anupol Boonyodom, 38, remains missing since Thursday.
Floods continued to affect some 80,000 residents and inundated about 170,000 rai (27,200 hectares) of farmland in Trang.
The body of Sumalee Kaenhyuk, 39, an in-patient ward nurse at Rassada Hospital was found at 3am yesterday inside her car. The front of the car was submerged in a canal in Tambon Khuanma.
The accident was believed to have happened between 11.30pm on Thursday and 1am yesterday, the time between her leaving home and being scheduled to begin work. Sumalee left behind her rubber-farmer husband and two sons aged 8 and 10.
The body of Pol Senior Sgt-Major Supakiat Sukhiri, 46, of Muang Trang precinct was found near his Huay Yot home after being missing for two days.
His body was sent for autopsy at a Songkhla hospital. Police said he had drowned to death, while his relatives believed he was electrocuted and that led to his drowning.
Surat Thani Governor Wichawuth Jinto yesterday declared 13 districts as flood-disaster zones. Some 10,000 residents are affected.
Ratchaprapa Dam official Amorn Kaensaree said the dam was filled to 87 per cent of capacity. However, there was no plan to release water as it could store another 1.2 billion cubic metres of water.
In Pattani, the swelling Pattani and Sai Buri rivers brought floods to the Muang Pattani Municipality’s 300 low-lying homes – the first flood in 10 years – prompting offices and banks to close while residents started to stockpile food.
In Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district, border patrol police waded through deep floods to bring relief bags, medical supplies and drinking water from HM the King to the 40 worst-hit families in Tambon Munoh.