Landslide Buries Workers’ Camp on Koh Samui, Two Missing

[Georgealbert]

 

Pictures from responders.

 

In the early hours of the morning, of December 15, a landslide struck a workers’ camp in Koh Samui, leaving two individuals missing. The incident occurred at 04:00  in the construction area located on a hillside in Soi Hima Thong, Moo 1, Maret Subdistrict, Koh Samui District, Surat Thani Province.

 

The two missing individuals are male workers of Myanmar nationality. Search and rescue efforts are currently underway, with a collaborative response from various local authorities and organisations, including Koh Samui District officials, the Koh Samui Municipality, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office (Koh Samui branch), the Bo Phut Police Station, Samui Rescue Center, the Kusol Songkhro Koh Samui Foundation, and the Wat Plai Laem Rescue Foundation.

 

Rescue teams are using manpower to dig through the rubble in an effort to locate the missing workers, as access is currently not possible for the machinery given the terrain and conditions. The operation faces significant challenges due to continuous rainfall in the area, which poses further risks of additional landslides.

 

The situation is being closely monitored, and authorities are urging residents in the vicinity of the construction site to remain cautious and stay updated on safety advisories.

 

 

-- 2024-12-15

 

 

[quake]

Oh dear,

Hope they find them alive.

But this does not look good .

 

 

[phetphet]

Samui has had some really bad rain over the last few days. Especially Friday and Saturday. Non stop yesterday from around 6am to 9pm.

A lot of construction going on on the hills and slopes of the island at the moment. Those worker's camps, usually situated on these muddy slopes are vulnerable to such events.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, phetphet said:

Samui has had some really bad rain over the last few days. Especially Friday and Saturday. Non stop yesterday from around 6am to 9pm.

 

The rain was so bad yesterday that only six flights landed on time.

The other 37 were late, very late (285 minutes was the worse) or diverted.

Much better weather today up here at the 'pointy' end.

[tomacht8]

Unfortunately, trees are being totally cut down everywhere for the countless pseudo "villa" projects. Landslides often occur during heavy rain, especially on mountain slopes. Greed eats brains. Nothing is secured after such clear-cutting operations. Then you can often see that the sand is washed onto the roads and many motorcyclists then break their bones. But the builders don't want to take any responsibility.

They leave their sand on the street for weeks/months. They don't have to be liable, so they don't care.

[phetphet]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

The rain was so bad yesterday that only six flights landed on time.

The other 37 were late, very late (285 minutes was the worse) or diverted.

Much better weather today up here at the 'pointy' end.

GF knows someone whose flight returned to BKK.

[Georgealbert]

UPDATE
Construction Workers Found Dead After Landslide on Koh Samui

 

Picture from responders.

 

In an incident on Koh Samui, Surat Thani, a landslide caused by heavy rain buried the makeshift shelters of construction workers, leaving two men from Myanmar missing. The workers were stationed at a site where four vacation homes were being constructed, located on a hillside in Soi Hima Thong, Moo 1, Ma Reet Subdistrict.

 

The landslide struck early in the morning, around 04:00 on December 15. After a search of over 10 hours, rescue teams, including local authorities, military personnel, and construction workers, managed to dig through the mud and debris. At 15:30 they discovered the bodies of the two missing workers buried beneath more than a metre of soil.

 

The deceased workers bodies, identified as Mr. Aung Ko Ko, age 19, and Mr. Mo Set, age 39, were retrieved and sent for examination at Koh Samui Hospital.

 

The recovery operation faced significant challenges due to ongoing heavy rainfall, which raised the risk of further landslides, complicating the search and rescue operations.

 

-- 2024-12-16

 

 

 

[kwilco]

There was a scandal about hillside developments on Samui a few years ago.

I thought that any land over 19% incline automatically belonged to the Crown which is why ot was never developed and the only things ever built on it were temples etc.?

Developing on steep hills, building roads and deluding of vegetation has got to be a bad thing, leaving it susceptible to this sort of thing in bouts of extreme weather 

[kwilco]

There needs to be a review of hillside developments on Samui.

[Tropicalevo]

1 hour ago, kwilco said:

There needs to be a review of hillside developments on Samui.

 

There is a review ongoing at the moment - by the DSI.

Lots of 'discussions, a few court cases and land titles being revoked.

 

I was out on the bike this morning, lots of floods and running water - washing debris down from the hills.

Neighbour tried to get her mother to Nathon hospital, couldn't get through.

Small stalled cars and floods on the ring road blocking it.

Should start to disperse when the tide goes out.

 

The forecast is for the rain to stop today.

[phetphet]

8 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

There is a review ongoing at the moment - by the DSI.

Lots of 'discussions, a few court cases and land titles being revoked.

 

I was out on the bike this morning, lots of floods and running water - washing debris down from the hills.

Neighbour tried to get her mother to Nathon hospital, couldn't get through.

Small stalled cars and floods on the ring road blocking it.

Should start to disperse when the tide goes out.

 

The forecast is for the rain to stop today.

Took the daughter to school. A lot of standing water before Samui Town Centre, coming from Fisherman' Village. Also down the road, just past the airport departures entrance. Must have been pretty heavy last night, but I didn't hear it.

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, phetphet said:

Must have been pretty heavy last night, but I didn't hear it.

 

I did - it was solid and continuous.

Humidity in my bedroom - 99%. I cannot close the solid wood doors. Swollen up with the damp.