Thailand braces for more heavy rain, floods

Thai authorities have warned that widespread heavy rain will continue to occur in the coming days after five people were killed in floods in the northern region of the country earlier this week.

Since the beginning of the monsoon season in September, a total of 23 Thai citizens have died in floods and 33 have been injured, the public health ministry said in a statement. In particular, floods in Thailand’s northern province of Phayao province killed five people.

On October 17, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) issued a heavy rain warning for 32 provinces, with the southern region expected to experience moderate to heavy rain, covering 70% of the area. Heavy rain is also forecast in the capital Bangkok and the famous resort island of Phuket. Residents are advised to be cautious as accumulated rainfall could lead to sudden floods.

According to TMD, high atmospheric pressure, or cold air mass, continues to cover the upper northern and northeastern regions. Meanwhile, the trough is currently passing through the upper southern region, the Gulf of Thailand and the eastern region, entering a region of low pressure in the South China Sea. This phenomenon, combined with the southwestern monsoon, is covering the Andaman Sea, the lower southern region, and the Gulf of Thailand, resulting in heavy rain.

More than 62,000 Thai households have been impacted by floods this wet season, according to the Thai Ministry of Interior.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has regularly visited flood zones in recent weeks as local authorities work to hand out survival kits to evacuees.

In 2011, widespread flooding killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes around the country./.

VNA