Flood, Mudslide Warnings For Phuket, Andaman Coast

Flood, mudslide warnings for Phuket, Andaman provinces

PHUKET: -- Disaster relief officials in the resort island of Phuket are now on full alert for possible flash floods and mudslides as heavy rain continues to batter the island.

The fabled 'Pearl of the Andaman' has lost lustre during the past two days. Relief officials have been monitoring the situation on a round-the-clock basis, especially in Kra Tu district on concerns of heavy rain and mudslides.

North of here a mudslide tragedy occurred in rural southern Myanmar, according to the Red Cross, when 12 schoolchildren were killed and 20 students and adults were injured when a rain-drenched hillside gave way and crashed through a schoolhouse in Kyauk Kar village in the Tanintharyi division (province) of Myanmar's far south.

However, Thai officials in Phuket believe the situation is under control as municipal officials earlier restored a sewage system which could relieve flooding.

Relief officials said some 70 locations in Phuket are vulnerable and at risk to flooding and mudslide problems due to the non-stop rain.

Heavy rain is also occurring seen in four other southern coastal provinces hit by tsunami last December – Ranong, Phangnga, Trang and Satun – while storms in the Andaman Sea are anticipated to remain dangerous during the next several days.

--TNA 2005-09-18