Heavy rain floods 3 regions, blocks railway

Heavy rain floods 3 regions, blocks railway

Work crews stack sandbags along the Huai Chan-Khun Han road to slow the storm runoff from the Phanom Dongrak range, in tambon Nong Sung of Khun Han district, Si Sa Ket, on Thursday. (Photo by Sermpong Thongsamrit)
Work crews stack sandbags along the Huai Chan-Khun Han road to slow the storm runoff from the Phanom Dongrak range, in tambon Nong Sung of Khun Han district, Si Sa Ket, on Thursday. (Photo by Sermpong Thongsamrit)

Persistent rain has caused widespread runoff and flooding in northeastern, northern and central plain provinces, with landslides blocking a section of the Bangkok-Nong Khai railway track on Thursday.

What was tropical depression Sonca has now been downgraded to a low pressure system, but is expected to continue dumping rain over the area until Friday.

In Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 50 houses were flooded in Thepharak district, with water up to 5 metres deep in some areas.

Seksan Wiwatsakulrat, vice president of the Nong Waeng tambon administration organisation in Thepharak, said about 30 houses in Ban Thai Samakkhi were flooded. It was the most severe flooding there in 38 years.

In Lop Buri province, runoff from Nakhon Ratchasima's Thepharak district flowed into tambon Nong Ree, tambon Lam Sonthi and tambon Sap Somboon of Lam Sonthi district.

In tambon Nong Ree, landslides blocked the northeastern railway at several spots between Khokkli station in Lop Buri and Chong Samran station in Chaiyaphum province. Trains running between Bangkok and Nong Khai had to detour via Nakhon Ratchasima and Sara Buri provinces, causing delays.

In Phitsanulok province, runoff hit Ban Nam Pad in Noen Maprang district.

In Si Sa Ket province, Khun Han and Kantharalak communities were flooded in Phu Sing district. Rain caused flooding on roads in northeastern Khon Kaen province.

Wanchai Sakudomchai, director-general of the Meteorological Department, said depression Sonca had been recategorized as a low pressure system and was expected to disappear on Friday. Heavy rain would continue in the North, the Northeast, the Central Plain and the East until then.

A landslip blocks the Khao Phang Hoei railway tunnel in tambon Nonree of Lam Sonthi district, Lop Buri, on Thursday. (Photo from the State Railway of Thailand)

A volunteer helps a commuter in Muang district, Khon Kaen. (Photo by Chakraphan Nathanri)

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