4 southern provinces hit by 2nd wave of flooding

After four days of continuous heavy rain, many areas of Songkhla are now flooded for the second time this month, especially several areas of Hat Yai which are under waist-deep water. Sections of main roads, especially Kanchanawanich Road, were under 40cm-deep flood water yesterday, causing severe traffic jams.

Hat Yai district officials dispatched officials and equipment to assist the flood victims.

Rail cargo services between Hat Yai and Padang Besar in Songkhla were suspended for a time yesterday after a 1-kilometre section of track was under water.

Thanongsak Pongprasert, director of the State Railway of Thailand's southern region, said all southbound trains - including those to the southernmost provinces - were still running, although they had to slow down when passing through flooded sections in Songkhla's Na Mom district.

Officials will inspect track conditions and repair damaged areas over the next few days, he added.

In Trang province, whose six major waterfalls were closed indefinitely earlier this month, continuous rainfall resulted in the many areas of Nakhon Trang municipality in Muang district being inundated.

All tambon and districts in the province were told to be on the alert for flash floods and landslides. Local authorities were preparing heavy machines, three flat-bottom boats and 36,000 kilograms of rice to assist flood-affected residents.

WINTER CHILLS

In Narathiwat, three days of downpours caused the Sungai Kolok River to overflow and flood 345 riverside houses in Joh I Rong, Chanae, Sungai Padi and Sungai Kolok districts. As flood water continued to rise, it was expected that 1 million residents in 13 districts would be affected, causing Bt125 million of damage.

In Phatthalung, where low-lying houses in Muang and Bang Kaew districts were submerged, locals speedily moved belongings to safer ground and stored enough food and drinking water to last a month.

Phatthalung Governor Winai Karuwannapat took 300 relief bags to the affected residents in Tambon Lampam in Muang district as initial assistance.

In Kalasin, winter chills caused about 1,500 people to seek medical treatment at Kalasin Hospital, which was 50 per cent higher than the normal intake. Many were children and the elderly, who were unable to cope with the sudden drop in temperature.

The hospital also set up a patient screening room and a quarantine area for anyone suspected of having contracted type-A (H1N1) influenza or bird flu.

Kalasin temperatures dropped to 6-9 degrees Celsius in mountainous areas, while the maximum temperature was 20 degrees.

In Prachin Buri's Khao Yai national park, where the temperature dropped to 16-17 degrees, more than 2,000 visitors had already crowded camping areas.

With the visitor limit set at 2,500, the park urged the public to contact the National Park Department to book accommodation beforehand.