Flood crisis still bad

By THE NATION

The flood crisis in Surat Thani remained critical late last night amid surging rivers and high levels of water.

Helicopters were used to airlift about 1,000 stranded villagers in Nakhon Si Thammarat to safety for a second day running.

Flood-related fatalities increased to 45, with latest five coming on top of 40 in an official update yesterday. Some 21 occurred in hardest-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat, according to provincial clerk Decha Kangsanant.

A second pickup zone was set to be designated at Ban Rong Lek to speed up airlift evacuations in hard-hit Nopphitham district, he said.

A team of government psychiatrists was visiting flood-hit areas to talk to traumatise villagers or provide counselling, as many people who lost homes or loved ones are badly stressed.

Around 20,000 residents had been evacuated and all its 23 districts had been flooded, with more than 200,000 households affected and 280,000 rai of farmland flooded. Total damage was estimated at Bt1.5 billion.

Decha said it would take three months to restore things to normal. Currently, people lacked drinking water and electricity. But the government was expected to provide 200 small generators soon.

The National Disaster Warning Centre said the landslide risk would remain for a day or two. Residential areas at the foot of mountains were the most vulnerable and people had been advised to be ready for an emergency evacuation.

Senior meteorologist Phayao Ruengnam said rain should be less frequent in the South after the previous torrid week. Surat Thani, which has lower-lying areas amid the hills, acts as a catchment area which floodwater travels through on the way to the sea.

Yesterday about 1,000 vendors and residents in Phuphin district and Surat Thani's main market refused to move, despite a request by rescue workers. People said they wanted to guard against possible thefts.

In Phatthalung, four projects were at risk of a flash flood by the brimming lake. Around 150 villages were under 70cm of water while another 300 have lacked clean water for 10 days.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, speaking in his weekly TV show yesterday, said that state assistance measures and a relief fund would be discussed probably approved in a special Cabinet meeting today. He later visited flooded areas and helped give out relief supplies to local residents.

-- The Nation 2011-04-04

It IS an awful situation. Thanks to Bangkok air's ridiculous prices, I do not know if I can make it to Surat Thani airport thursday. Some say it will be impossible, others that the buses from the ferry coming from Samui to the airport are already running now. If I do not get a connection at the peer, to the airport, not only am I missing my plane, but also am I stuck there.

If someone got some information about the situation, I will be obliged.

It IS an awful situation. Thanks to Bangkok air's ridiculous prices, I do not know if I can make it to Surat Thani airport thursday. Some say it will be impossible, others that the buses from the ferry coming from Samui to the airport are already running now. If I do not get a connection at the peer, to the airport, not only am I missing my plane, but also am I stuck there.

If someone got some information about the situation, I will be obliged.

I was in Surat Thani yesterday, and there where busses running to the airport, you had to change bus on the way, and traveltime was 1 hour 30 mins from Surat Town. I think the service is run by the very reliable Pantip Travel.

Good luck.