Samui Floods Expected To Recede In 3 Days

[Jai Dee]

FLOODWATER IN SAMUI IS EXPECTED TO RECEDE WITHIN 3 DAYS

Authorities are currently doing their best in assisting flood-stricken people in the southern provinces, while the flood in Samui is expected to recede within 3 days.

Water remained trapped in parts of Suratthani especially on Koh Samui (เกาะสมุย), and the provincial administration has already deployed all their water pumps in the draining effort. Initially 3 million baht of damages were reported to have been inflicted in Suratthani province, but the damage toll on Samui Island has now been estimated at 300 million baht.

In Koh Tao (เกาะเต่า) in Chumphorn province, residents at the island are experiencing food and electricity shortage. The 1st Naval Area Command has already dispatched a tanker with 30,000 liters of oil and other neccessities for assistance.

In the meantime, the Meteorological Department has reported that the low pressure trough over the lower southern region has already moved into the Andaman Sea, but heavy rain would still persist in Chumphorn, Suratthani, Nakhonsrithammarat, Phatthalung, Phang_nga, Phuket, and Satoon. Flash floods and overflowing of riverbanks could still occur.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 28 November 2005

[stumonster]

Tourists stranded by floods

By Ian Black in Bangkok

November 28, 2005

HEAVY rain and floods have stranded hundreds of tourists, including Australians, in southern Thailand including the popular islands of Ko Tao and Ko Samui.

Disaster relief operations have been operating for several days, but authorities here say that up to 3000 local people and foreign tourists remain cut off.

Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said the floods, which have killed seven local people, continued to plague the districts of Surat Thani, Phatthalung and Chumphon.

There have been no reports of tourists being injured.

Relief operations are concentrating on Ko Tao, where resort operators and tourists were without electricity. Food and water supplies were also running low.

About 200 tourists were shipped from the island to the mainland yesterday. They had been trapped on Ko Tao for almost a week after a ferry service was disrupted by heavy rains and strong waves.

A Thai Royal Navy patrol boat delivered 15,000 litres of petrol to Ko Tao after receiving emergency calls from islanders who said they were running out of petrol for generators to produce electricity.

Few tourists visit the island in the Gulf of Thailand during the rainy season.

But as Christmas approaches, tourists and divers who normally visit destinations on Thailand'S tsunami-ravaged Andaman coast have now opted to switch to the Gulf side.

On Ko Samui, officials said several parts of the island, including the main tourist magnet of Chaweng beach, remain inundated.

Ko Samui mayor, Varakorn Rattanarak, estimated the cost of damage on the island at more than 300 million baht (about $15 million).

On another island Ko Pa-ngan, officials said floods and road damage was hampering relief efforts.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/commo...55E1702,00.html

[george]

More rain hit flooded Samui; two workers electrocuted

SURAT THANI: -- Flooding on the resort island of Samui has become worse after it was hit by more heavy rain last night while the meteorological department forecasts continuing heavy downpours during the next few days.

Flooding in mainland Surat Thani has aggravated as another round of heavy rain hit the province again last night, inundating a ring road around the island.

Although the irrigation department has installed 20 pumps to drain water into the sea, it had to divert water into the island's Pruchaweng reservoir instead becuase drainage pipes available are not long enough to reach the sea.

Two construction workers were electrocuted on Lamai beach. The death toll from flood stands at three while water borne diseases such as diarrhea and skin disease are reported on the island.

In Songkha, flood water has receded in many areas, but a highway in the business district of Hat Yai is impassable.

Irrigation officials have been working to drain water from an unfinished canal to other waterways to reduce water flooding low-lying areas. Due to a threat from incessant rain last night and high water level in Utapao

canal, officials particularly those in the municipality area are well prepared to help local residents if flooding becomes worse.

Meanwhile, the director of the regional meteorological department Kamolsri Seneetantikul has warned of heavy rain in the next few days .

She said the southern region particularly Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattalung, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat should brace for overflowing water and flash flood.

--TNA 2005-11-28