TRANG, June 7 — Strong winds and three-metre waves caused seawater to surge into more than 80 fishing village households in Kantang district of southern Trang province on Thursday.
The waves, hitting the villages for three days, damaged one home and a community rest shelter, with high tides forecast to continue at least 2-3 days.
A 32-year-old woman and her three-year-old daughter were killed yesterday as gusty winds uprooted half-a-century old Siamese rosewood tree which fell onto their home.
As many as 50 homes in the provincial seat were damaged by the strong winds.
Days of continuous strong winds and storms whipping the region felled trees on homes and facilities worth about Bt15 million.
In Surat Thani, the flooding was gradually improving and returning to normal after the rains stopped since Wednesday night.
Surat Thani’s six districts – Chaiya, Tha Chana,Vibhavadi, Phanom, Ban Ta Khun and Tha Chang–were flooded from runoff from Kang Krung National Park after several days of continuous downpours.
The water level this morning at Ban Pak Lang in Vibhavadi district receded by 2.5 metres but lower areas are still under water, with some villagers beginning to clean up their homes.
Takuktai sub-district chief Withaya Somakerd said that if there was no more rain, the situation would return to normal by this evening.
He said there were 300 households in the sub-district affected by the flood, impacting some 1,500 villagers and damaged 3,000 rai of farms.
Meanwhile, the Surat Thani Provincial Administration Organisation sent heavy construction equipment to repair a damaged bridge across Khlong Jae on the Khlong Wai-Vibhavadi Road. The route has reopened for normal traffic.
Landslides blocked the entrance of a Takuk Nua subdistrict community, cutting off more than 20 households.
Surat Thani Governor Cherdsak Chusri warned residents in at-risk areas to be on high alert for possible flash flood and to closely monitor official announcements.
The Meteorological Department announced that the strong southwest monsoon remained across the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
Rains are likely across the country while heavy in many areas of the southern region, meaning that residents of risk areas along foothills and near waterways should be alert to possible flooding in the next few days.
This included Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, Phang-nga, Phuket, Krabi and Trang.
Strong winds and high waves are likely to reach 2-4 metre levels in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.
All ships should proceed with caution, and small boats should keep ashore.
