Phuket Warned Of Torrential Rains, Flash Flooding

[george]

Phuket warned of torrential rains, flash flooding

PHUKET: -- The national Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department [DPMD] has warned Phuket of torrential rains. Borne of the strong southwest monsoon currently prevailing over the Andaman region, the deluge, expected to cause flooding, is predicted to hit later today and to continue through tomorrow.

The warning was issued late yesterday afternoon and includes three other Andaman provinces: Ranong, Trang and Satun.

A spokesman for the DPMD in Bangkok also noted that if rainfall exceeds 100 millimeters in any 24-hour period, the department will alert its offices in Phuket and other affected provinces to evacuate people to safer ground.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Northern Meteorological Center has warned seven northern provinces to brace for continued heavy downpours, and the national Water Resources Department is closely watching four river basins in those areas for flash flooding. The affected provinces are Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit and Phetchabun.

Weerawuth Pornratphan, head of the Northern Regional Hydrological Office, says his team, based in Chiang Mai, is watching Chiang Mai's Fang river basin; Chiang Rai's Mae Saruay and Chan river basins; and Tak's Mae Ramad basin. These areas, all of which are low-lying with dense riverside populations, are at particular risk, he added.

In Chiang Rai's Mae Chan district, the downpours, which started on Friday, have already triggered forest floods and overflowing of the Kham River, inundating 2,000 houses and 3,000 rai of farmland.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-09