13 provinces warned of heavy rain, flash floods

A road in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Muang district is still flooded on Sunday. (Photo by Nujaree Rakrun)

Outbreaks of heavy to very heavy rain are forecast for 13 provinces from now until Tuesday as the active low pressure over the Andaman Sea, the South and the west coast is moving north slowly into the Gulf of Martaban and Myanmar, according to the Meteorological Department on Sunday.

The 13 provinces are Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan in the lower Central region, and Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Ranong, Phangnga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang and Satun in the South.

People should be aware of the severe weather conditions and possible flash floods from now until Jan 10, and closely follow the weather forecast update.

The strong northeast monsoon still prevails over the Gulf of Thailand and the South, forcing waves up to 2-3 metres high in the Gulf and Andaman Sea. People should beware of inshore surge. All vessels should proceed with caution, and small boats keep ashore for the next few days.

Government spokesman Lt Gen Sansern Kaewkumnerd said on Sunday that the Interior Ministry has contacted the Comptroller General's Department to quickly allocate an additional 50 million baht to each of the flooded southern provinces.

The floods have ravaged 10 provinces in the region since the new year, with only Yala and Ranong seeing the situation easing, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Chumphon, Pattani, Phatthalung, Narathiwat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Trang remained in crisis, it added. The most critical provinces were Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chumphon, where floodwater continued to rise.

The flooding has killed 19 people and one is missing, the department reported.

The flooding continues to force all southern trains to stop at Thung Song station in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The tracks from Thung Song district to Muang district in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang and Phatthalung are damaged and State Railway of Thailand governor Wutthichart Kalayanamitr said on Sunday that heavy equipment could not be sent to repair the damaged lines until floodwater drops.

Interprovincial buses from Bangkok have been resumed but are forced to detour in some routes to avoid flooded roads in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Trang.

Nakhon Si Thammarat airport remained closed and passengers have to divert to neighbouring Surat Thani. The airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat is expected to open on Monday.

Royal Thai Air Force planes take off from the Don Mueang base to Surat Thani on Sunday to deliver relief bags of the Princess Pa Foundation to flooded people in the southern region. (Video by Thiti Wannamontha)