Landslides Latest Threat In Deluged Deep South

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Landslides latest threat in deluged deep South

Local people who are affected from heavy floods in Songkhla's Hat Yai district receive survival bags donated by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on Thursday.//Thoranit Pirunla-ong

An evacuation plan is underway until Monday for villagers in two tambons of Yala's Bannang Sata district because of a landslide threat; while Pattani province has declared Yaring district its ninth flood disaster zone.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department yesterday announced flood situations at Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, and Trang were receding, while Phattalung, Satun, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat remain deluged.

In Phattalung, three people have died and 10 districts are submerged, while Satun's 17,000 residents in six districts have been badly affected. So too are Songkhla's 63,000 residents in lowlying areas of 16 districts.

In Yala, home to 35,000 villagers, seven have died in the flooding and two injured, while in Narathiwat's

14 districts the death toll stands at 10, the department reported.

Yala's Bannang Sata district chief Methee Kanchanaphuwa said yesterday that floodwaters that ravaged the province since late last week have started to subside. Local officials were helping flood victims and repairing infrastructure damage, he said. Bannang Sata was the hardest hit and five residents there were killed; four from landslides and one from drowning. Six houses were destroyed while 30 other homes, 15 roads and 12 bridges were partially damaged.

Methee said the district had alerted residents to move their belongings to higher ground after forecasts that heavy rain would fall there from November 1316. "We're concerned about possible landslides, especially in Tambon Taling Chan and Kheun Bang Lang where many live near the mountains. The district has prepared atrisk residents to gather at mosques, temples or schools.

Meanwhile, nine districts of Pattani are maintaining disaster zone status. The latest was Yaring district which joins Muang, Mai Kaen, Thung Yang Daeng, Nong Chik, Sai Buri, Mae Lan, Yarang and Kapho districts.

It was reported that 84,611 people were affected, 190 homes damaged and 15,000 rai of farmland ruined. The estimated cost of damages was Bt24 million.

Although floodwaters have started to subside in many villages of Mae Lan district, thousands of people in lowlying areas and on the Pattani River banks still endure 50cm90cmdeep water.

As state and private sectors help flood victims, Governor Theerathep Sriyaphan has ordered all officials to work on mitigation around the clock and Pattani Public Health Office has dispatched medicine to victims of waterborne disease.

Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul yesterday delivered 500 relief bags granted by HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, his royal consort and their son to Songkhla Governor Winyu Thongsakul. The royalgranted bags, combined with 700 other relief bags from Songkhla Special Centre for Flood and Landslide, will be given to residents in Hat Yai's Tambon Phatong, where some 6,000 people are affected.

Chaovarat delivered another 500 royalgrant relief bags to Rattaphum district.

-- The Nation 2009-11-13

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