3/4/2018 NEARLY ONE MILLION HIT BY DISASTERS

NEARLY ONE MILLION HIT BY DISASTERS

The Nation · 2 Apr 2011

Raging floods have shaken up the lives of nearly 1 million people in eight southern provinces dur-
ing the past 10 days.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department yesterday said that since March 23, the inun-
dation had affected 998,867 people in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Surat Thani, Trang,
Chumphon, Songkhla, Krabi and Phang Nga. Nakhon Si Thammarat The governor of the province,
Thira Mintarasak, yesterday said 42 flood victims, including one pregnant woman, had already been
airlifted from a risky zone in Noppitham district.
“Floods have marooned their hometowns,” he said. Because floodwater made so many roads in the
district impassable, officials had to rely on helicopters and other types of aircraft in delivering relief
items to affected people.
In Sichon district, more than 400 people were evacuated in the face of growing landslide risks. Su-
rat Thani Floodwater was up to four metres deep in some areas of the Phunphin district yesterday.
Locals could do nothing but climb up to the roofs of their houses to avoid being submerged or
swept away.
Many portions of Highway 41 in the province were also heavily flooded. In the wake of serious
flooding, train services in the province were also paralysed. Many victims have had to live without
electricity for days now. Krabi Natural disasters here have forced the evacuations of about 3,800 peo-
ple. The Khao Phanom District Hospital said landslides killed at least six people and injured 17 others.
After the flood hit, the hospital also found a young boy who died by drowning. Chumphon As many as
60,887 people in eight districts here have been suffering from floods, landslides and storms.
It was estimated that the disasters had caused at least Bt63 million in damages.
“Rocks and big land masses already flattened a house and a road here,” Moo 8 deputy village chief
Nipat Khamkerd said, “Hundreds of rai of farmland have also been ravaged”. His village is located in
Chumphon’s Sawi district. Trang After embankment walls along the Trang River burst in the middle of
Thursday night, floodwater submerged many houses and government offices in this province.
Because floodwater was everywhere, locals had to move around in boats. At some spots, people
were seen fishing from floodwater. Phatthalung Flooding has already caused Bt103 million in damages
to this southern province, according to provincial disaster-prevention-andmitigation chief Thanakorn
Tabanpruek.
He said the inundation damaged 97 roads and six bridges. This was in addition to damages sus-
tained by 138 schools, temples, mosques and health stations. Phang Nga Two people were reported
missing amid the storm and ferocious torrents of water.
Anan Jangjaitham, 58, fell overboard when a rainstorm hit his fishing trawler on Monday night.
Kapong district chief Prakob Sritawee said Pimon Kaewkrajang, a deputy village head, was swept
away when run-off water from forest broke his raft on Wednesday. Pimon was on his way to attend a
meeting of officials. “Till now, we have not yet been able to locate his body,” the district chief said.
Songkhla Songkhla Governor Winyu Thongsakul yesterday handed out relief items to people whose
seaside houses suffered damages from high waves. “For completely damaged houses, we will give
Bt30,000 compensation each,” he said.
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