News
Tourism in Phuket Hampered by Flooding, Mudslides and Power Outages
Flooding in Phuket has disrupted air travel causing many tourists to miss their flights out of the city while those arriving are struggling to reach their destinations.
On Monday, about 330 tourists were stranded by flooding in Phuket, and military vehicles were deployed to shuttle them to the airport.
On Wednesday, persistent rain, flooding, mudslides, and power outages plagued this vacation island, with Phuket authorities declaring the districts of Kathu, Muang, and Thalang disaster zones.
Mudslides destroyed electrical poles in Tambon Kamala, Kathu District, while a mudslide occurred at the Bang Thong monastery in tambon Kathu.
The Kathu-Patong Road was blocked on Wednesday due to a landslide, and flight travellers were advised to leave for Phuket airport several hours in advance.
Patong police blocked the Kathu-Patong Route to traffic at 4 p.m. because its foundation had been severely undermined, with rain-soaked dirt slipping away from beneath a 250-metre part of the Patong mountain road in Kathu district.
Phuket governor Narong Woonciew said it would take highway officials seven days to temporarily repair the route so cars could pass. It would take around six months to complete a permanent restoration.
There will be detours, but the journey time for motorists will be increased due to water on the road.
Because of flooding on roads leading to the airport, notably Thepkasattri Road, Phuket Airport management advised passengers to depart 3-4 hours earlier than usual (Highway 402).
Strongly rushing flood water also wrecked a bridge in tambon Sri Sunthorn. In the meanwhile, a makeshift bridge was built.
Floods in the main district prompted anxiety in Phuket municipality’s business district. The Khlong Bang Yai Canal was overflowing onto the highways of Montree and Phuket.
A mudslide also occurred on Ao Yon-Khao Khat Road in tambon Wichit.
Flooding harmed 6,080 individuals in three districts, according to the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation office.
Five roads and three bridges were reported destroyed, while mudslides interrupted power and water services.
According to meteorologists, the effects of Storm Nesat in the South China Sea and a high-pressure system from China, persistent rain and flooding were likely to continue in Phuket until Thursday or Friday.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha directed state agencies to develop strategies to deal with floods in Ayutthaya.
According to the The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand IEAT, each individual estate had its own flood prevention system, which comprised dykes, water pumps, and a water retention area. The IEAT considered the industrial estates were well-protected as the flooding situation improved.
According to Ms Rachada, the water level outside the estates is still below the top of the flood prevention dykes.
She said state agencies had been instructed to develop solutions to address fears that if the roads outside flooded, people would have difficulty getting to the factories and supplies would be difficult to make.
Yesterday morning, the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province started releasing water at a rate of 1,947 cubic metres per second.
Governor Niwat Rungsakhon stated that there were issues in two sites.
The first was a leak behind the concrete embankment at Moo 1 village in Sena district’s tambon Samko, which partially inundated Moo 1 and 2 villages.
The second was a road at the Chao Chet watergate in Sena district’s tambon Rang Chorakhe, which had been severed for around 15 meters by a strong current of water.
Water entered the Khlong Chao Chet canal at a flow rate of 100 cubic metres per second. Irrigation Department crews worked all night to try to stop the flow of water. The governor stated that they have significantly slowed the flow.
The Meteorological Department has urged residents in the South to brace themselves for severe to extremely heavy rain, which might cause flash floods and overflows from today until Saturday, while Tropical Storm Nesat is forecast to make landfall across upper Vietnam between Thursday and Friday.
The monsoon trough will reach the middle South from October 19 to 22, while southwesterly winds across the Andaman Sea and the South will strengthen.
