Army drafted in to help stranded tourists as floods ravage Samui

[webfact]

Army drafted in to help stranded tourists as floods ravage Samui

 

Picture: Thairath

 

SAMUI: -- Soldiers were called in to help as heavy rains continued to lash Koh Samui yesterday causing ever rising flood waters.

 

In Chaweng the 4th army division used flat bottom boats to ferry grateful tourists from hotels to other destinations.

 

Rains lashed the island all day yesterday with flood waters from days of rain still having not drained away.

 

In Bo Phut the floodwaters reached depths of 40-50 centimeters with another 5 - 10 centimeters likely later in the day.

 

The local authority increased the number of pumps in several areas to elieve the situation.

 

Thai Rath reported that many schools were closed on the holiday island.

 

Source: Thairath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-12-07

[Falcon]

Hope they manage to sort it out soon. 5 years ago we were stuck in Sanyo after having driven down from Bangkok for 4 nights holiday with my family, rained every day non stop for the next 23 days.and ended up staying there almost a month! That's the problem going to Samui, being an island, once it start to get rough at sea, the ferry stops work and you get stuck.

[cracker1]

A little more than 50 cm in some places. These photo's from near Bophut.

[baansgr]

For those that remember 2005, not a very good situation. Pedalos were about the only mode of transport in Chong Mon, looks like may be as bad this year.

[Tchooptip]

I though it should have calm down to day Wednesday, but now at eleven past ten  the very heavy rain did not stop one second from 6 o'clock this morning.

I am in Maret (Lamai), Yesterday I had to go to Bhoput, having a problem with my car, so I went with my motorbike, not very easy but doable, to day not sure I could have done it again? Here a short video from yesterday afternoon with my telephone

 

[williamgeorgeallen]

i lived on samui for a year. i dont really understand how an island with plenty of elevation can flood. then again i have seen pattaya beach rd flooded many times despite it being well above sea level.

[khunPer]

Not that long ago many resorts at Samui closed down during the monsoon period – typically November 1st till just before Xmas; not that the monsoon-season ended, but the tourists flocked to the island and peak-season started – apparently for a good reason...

[maximillian]

1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

i lived on samui for a year. i dont really understand how an island with plenty of elevation can flood. then again i have seen pattaya beach rd flooded many times despite it being well above sea level.

 

Yes, the mountains are very well above sea level. Rain water is running down from the mountains to the flat areas (plains) like Bophut, Maenam, Chaweng, Lamai etc. that are not very much above sea level. There are basins in those plains (e.g. Ring Road next to Big C) where water collects. In addition there are not sufficient drainages towards the sea. And besides, during these times the sea level is higher due to the waves that are driven to the shores by the storm.

Next to my place the waves have taken up to five meters of land during the last few days.

Plenty of trees standing in the first row have fallen in the sea.

Take a look at all the garbage at the beaches. Plastics, rubber, styrofoam, 500 watt bulbs and neon lights from the fishing boats. Disgusting.

[brain150]

The coast lines were sealed with concrete without any regards of the drainage ... pretty simple really.

Could also be solved very easy ... but who cares ?

[PoorSucker]

8 minutes ago, brain150 said:

The coast lines were sealed with concrete without any regards of the drainage ... pretty simple really.

Could also be solved very easy ... but who cares ?

Actually the drainage works now but there is limit how much they can handle.

The photos above are one km away from the beach.

[TheLobster]

Was out shopping at about 5pm. A lot of the flooding has subsided. The ring road past Big C was open. I'm impressed with how quickly some of this flooding has gone down - the work to improve the drainage has helped.

[TheLobster]

Looks an awful lot better on the Satellite as well, according the forecast 25mm total in the next 3 days which would be a blessed relief:

 

 

[Bullie]

22 hours ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

i lived on samui for a year. i dont really understand how an island with plenty of elevation can flood. then again i have seen pattaya beach rd flooded many times despite it being well above sea level.

Well..... Great Britain is an island with plenty of elevation, and is mostly well above sea level, and they don't seem to have the savvy to avoid floods either...

Mayby those in charge of the respective islands should have a talk with the Dutch, who seem to have mastered the problem in spite of being 6 meters below sealevel for the most part....