Families evacuated as Trang’s five districts hit by heavy floods

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Families evacuated as Trang’s five districts hit by heavy floods

By Khanitta Sitong 
The Nation

 

 

Hundreds of families in Trang’s five districts were hit by floods – including a 147-family village that suffered the worst floods in seven years – local officials said on Wednesday.

 

At least three local schools had to suspend classes on Wednesday.

 

A total of 600 households in Na Yong, Muang, Yan Ta Khao, Sikao and Palian districts plus some 1,000 rai of farmland was submerged. 

 

In Palian district’s Tambon Laem Som, 131 homes in a 147-household village were under two-metres of water, said Moo 2 village headman Khlong Phraokaew. “It is the worst flood since 2010,” he said. 

 

Of the 131 affected homes, 30 were trapped in deep flooding, prompting the headman to bring a flat-bottom boat to evacuate the elderly and children to safer ground. 

 

Some 70 residents insisted they would remain in their marooned homes to protect their properties and said they had prepared enough food, drinking water and basic medicines to wait for the flood to recede in two to three days.

 

In Kantang district, the fishing village of Ban Haad Yao in Tambon Koh Libong also reported 20 homes were hit by flash floods on Tuesday night, the second time in three days. 

 

Flooding up to 50cm deep prompted officials and residents to evacuate the elderly and children out the affected homes in the middle of the night while belongings such as mattresses, fridges and furniture were damaged. 

 

Kantang district clerk Preecha Thawornprsit and Tambon Koh Libong Administrative Organisation president Sitthiporn Jilao assigned workers to dig channels to drain the floodwater faster into the sea ahead of the upcoming monsoon and the seasonal seawater inflow. 

 

Villagers were also calling for state funds to build a 30-metre-long extension of the existing breakwater dam to prevent future floods.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30323981

 

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