Phuket residents stack sandbags in fear of more floods

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Phuket residents stack sandbags in fear of more floods


Marine Police were on hand today to help Phuket residents prepare in case more rain, and floods, arrive. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

PHUKET: -- Residents at Nai Yang are stacking sandbags around their homes amid fears that floodwaters that have yet to subside from torrential downpours over the weekend will rise even further with more rain forecast for Phuket in the coming days.

The Nai Yang community was awash with metre-deep floodwater following heavy rain last Friday (August 7), prompting Phuket Governor Nisit Jansomwong to inspect the area and order local officials to take immediate action and to provide flood relief to those in need. (See story here.)

Today (August 11), more than 50 residents in Soi Nai Yang 3 and Soi Khokmud in Sakoo subdistrict, south of Phuket International Airport, began taking precautions against further floods following heavy rain last night (August 10), with Marine Police on hand to render assistance.

“The floodwater is about 30-50 centimetres deep on the road leading to the community. Small vehicles cannot pass, but larger vehicles may be proceed with caution,” said Sub Lt Prapan Chanprakown of the Marine Police.

However, one resident told The Phuket News, “Both local and provincial officials have come to help us with the flood problems and to get the floodwater level down, but the real issue is still there and it is unclear whether authorities have any long-term plan to solve this problem.

“Right now, we have to take care of each other by monitoring the situation and warn neighbours of floods if more rain is coming.”

More than 120 homes and 400 villagers in Thalang have been affected by flooding, one DDPM-Phuket officer told The Phuket News this week.

“We are still estimating the damage to homes and businesses in the Thalang area,” the officer said, adding that Mai Khao Moo 6, Thepkrasattri Moo 4 and Sakoo Moo 1 were the worst affected villages.

“Also, five roads in Thalang suffered flood damage, as did 12 rai of vegetable farms and five fish ponds that villagers depend on to make a living.”

The officer also explained that Governor Nisit has a budget B20 million at his disposal to alleviate the impact of any kind of disaster, but that special budget could be used only for incidents handled by the DDPM-Phuket office.

“All local administration offices and district offices have their own budgets to deal with disasters in their own areas. However, if these offices are unable to cope with disasters in their areas, then the DDPM-Phuket will take care of it,” the officer said.

The official played down flooding in other areas on the island.

“Phuket City and Kathu also suffered flooding this week, but there was not much damage, mainly because the floods lasted about an hour then subsided,” he said.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-residents-stack-sandbags-in-fear-of-more-floods-53610.php


-- Phuket News 2015-08-12

[stevenl]

Tessabaan Kata is supposed to be handing out sandbags, but does not have any sand available.

Guess I'll have to go to the beach.