Pattaya Daily News

Songkhla governor Winyu Tongsakul said the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office has reported ten of 16 districts have been under the waters and declared disaster zones so that emergency aid can be provided immediately.

The ten districts are Hat Yai, Chana, Thepha, Sadao, Na Thawi, Rattaphum, Bang Klam, Khlong Hoi Khong, Na Mom, and Saba Yoi.

The governor said each district can immediately approve itself for Bt1 million for emergency aid, while the province will consider additional budget for them on Tuesday.

It is reported that the centre for disaster prevention and mitigation in Hat Yai, the commercial hub of the South, changed its warning flag from the green to red in the afternoon, signifying that floods will strike the area within 6-30 hours and that local residents should move their belongings to higher ground.

Residents of other southern provinces such as Nakhon Si Thammarat are also on high alert as the depression is expected to hit the province tonight.

A special centre to help flood-hit victims has been set up as a standby site for emergency aid, while officials are monitoring the level of water in river and canals around the clock.

Thailand’s Meteorological Department issued a statement Monday evening that the tropical depression in the lower Gulf of Thailand was centred about 160 km east of Songkhla and expected to make landfall over southern provinces of Pattani, Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat.

The warning added that tonight the storm will hit the provinces of Phatthalung, Satun, Trang, Krabi, Phuket and Phang-nga. Widespread torrential rain is likely over much of both the eastern and western south coast from Chumphon south with waves 3-5 metres high.

People in at risk areas along hill slopes near waterways and in lowlands are warned of possible flash floods, while those living along the eastern south coast should beware of high winds and high surging tides inshore. All ships in the Gulf are to keep ashore during this period.

Report by : MCOT online news
Photo by : www.krobkruakao.com

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