Floods Hit North, Train Derailed

[george]

Floods hit North, train derailed

Flash floods engulfed several areas in the North early yesterday, submerging houses and derailing a Bangkok-bound express train.

In Phrae the floodwater was more than one metre high in worst-hit spots; many residents had to be evacuated to higher ground. In the province's Long district, floods did considerable damage to a portion of a railway track, which caused the Bangkok-bound train carrying 30 passengers to derail.

So far, there have been no reports of casualty or death.

Railway officials said; passengers that departed from Chiang Mai at 9 pm on Thursday had to wait for another train to pick them up. In Uttaradit, village heads warned local people to watch out for possible flash floods in their villages as many parts of the northern province was already under water.

In some areas, paddy fields and corn plantations were submerged under water two metres deep.

In Phitsanulok the floods affected 22,231 residents as 70 villages, 4,500 rai of farmland and 194 roads were submerged.

--The Nation 2006-09-23