Landslide Kills Three In Mae Hong Son

[webfact]

Landslide kills three in Mae Hong Son

By The Nation

A landslide killed three people, injured 12 others, and left four others missing in Mae Hong Son's Sop Moei district yesterday.

Following days of downpour, a large mass of dirt and rock crashed down on many hillside houses in Ban Pu Thai at dawn. Veera Saichonwiman, 11, Jankhao Pawanawat, 53, and a boy known only as Pasakae were killed.

The disaster also injured 12 locals while four people were missing.

As of press time, search was on to try to locate Kambeu Saichonwiman, 34, Prawit Muentoom, 33, Takari Muentoom, 49, and Lha Muentoom, 74, who were missing.

"Landslides also damaged about 10 houses," Mae Hong Son Governor Kamthorn Thavornsathit said.

He blamed flash floods caused by the downpour for the deadly landslide.

Mae Hong Son is one of the 15 flood-hit provinces, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD).

Since the Nock-Ten storm sent cloudbursts over Thailand, many reports of flood-related deaths and missing victims have started to surface. The first death was recorded in Udon Thani.

In Sukhothai, Amnaj Thongyang, 35, died after being electrocuted while trying to move his belongings to higher ground from his flooded home.

SUKHOTHAI WORST HIT

In Phrae, a raging current threw 16-year-old Tatpon Sornkaew overboard while he and his father were out running an errand in a boat.

Although the father - Flight Sergeant First Class Yothin Thongnak - jumped out of the boat to try to save his son, the torrent swept the boy away.

After struggling hard in the water, Yothin felt too exhausted and could only cling to a tree. Rescue workers later spotted and rescued him.

Wichien Kanngern, 56, was reported missing after he went out fishing at 5pm on Tuesday and did not return.

Rescue workers found his boat capsized but the man was nowhere to be seen.

In the wake of serious flooding in many provinces, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday held an urgent meeting to discuss the situation.

"Sukhothai is now the worst-hit province," the premier said.

In Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai, Sawankhalok, Si Samrong, Kong Krailat and Muang Sukhothai districts saw serious damage.

All shops in the economic zone of Muang Sawankhalok municipal area were closed and reported huge flood damage. The Sawankhalok Hospital became inaccessible to outpatients. Its medical staff had to jump on a farm tractor to provide services to flood victims who needed medicine and medical assistance. All schools in the municipal area had to close down temporarily as well.

In Lampang, hundreds of flood victims have not been able to travel around for three consecutive days as floodwater levels remain high. At some of the worst-hit spots, water was well over two metres high.

DPMD said the flooding has affected the lives of more than 100,000 people.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04

[LJW]

I am still trapped by flood waters in my home