Latest : Severe weather warning as Pabuk leaves trail of damage
Tropical storm Pabuk that swept across Nakhon Si Thammarat province late yesterday has already moved into the Andaman Sea.
Phuwieng Prakhammintara, director general of the weather department, said on Saturday that the storm, the first of 2019, moved on to the Andaman Sea at 9am.
However, he warned of heavy rains and strong winds in many provinces of the Southern region including Prachuab Khiri Kan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket and Krabi.
People in those areas should be cautious of possible forest runoffs and flash flood, he said.
Strong winds are forecast with waves up to 3 to 5 meters high in both the Gulf and the Andaman Sea.
All ships should stay ashore in the following days and people along the coast should beware of inshore surges, he said.
Yesterday Pabuk moved from the Gulf of Thailand and made landfall at Nakhon Si Thammarat about 1pm before sweeping through the province and nearby provinces.
Strong winds and heavy rains damaged houses, roads and uprooted electrical poles and trees. Tens of thousands of people were forced to spend the night in shelters.