Tropical Storm Mujigae developed into a full-blown typhoon and is wreaking havoc in several provinces in Thailand.
Mujigae on Sunday approached the eastern side of China's Hainan island packing winds as strong as 140 km/h, according to the Meteorological Department.
The storm brought with it moderate to heavy rainfall, which flooded many parts of the Central Plains, North, East and Northeast of Thailand. Authorities also reported flash flooding in some provinces, with many people stranded by the floods.
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The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation warned Sunday that heavy rains would continue and flash floods might affect 32 provinces nationwide as a result of Typhoon Mujigae.
In Nakhon Sawan's Mae Wong and Lat Yao districts, flash floods hit Ban Suan Luang at tambon Ban Rai of Lat Yao district at 2am Sunday. Hundreds of villagers were affected, and more than 2,000 rai of farmland was submerged and destroyed, local authorities said.
Though flood waters there began to recede around 1pm Sunday, villagers were worried about new warnings issued by authorities at Mae Wong National Park that if rain continues to fall, another round of flooding will take place.
Villagers in nearby Banphot Phisai district were also told to brace for flash flooding before the water flowed into the Ping River, authorities said.
In Phran Katai district of Kamphaeng Phet, rainfall fell for six hours in a row Sunday, which sent runoff water from the nearby Khiew mountains and Mae Raka mountains into houses located in Phran Katai municipality area. The water was 20cm deep on some roads in the area, which were inaccessible to cars, local officials said.
In tambon Tham Katai Thong in the district, five villages were submerged in floodwaters. The typhoon also hit Chanthaburi's Khlung and Muang districts, damaging several homes and farming areas Sunday morning. Chatchai Phromloet, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said rains in Chanthaburi province triggered flash floods in Khung and Muang districts, especially at Wannakorn market, Tha Chalab road and areas near Wat Thong Thua in Muang district. Water there was between 30-50cm deep.
The Ranong provincial governor alerted five districts of Muang, Kapoe, Kra Buri, La-un and Suk Samran, telling them to brace for flash floods and mudslides due to the influence of the typhoon.
In Ratchaburi, authorities are searching for crocodiles that escaped from a flooded farm in tambon Bor Kradan of Pak Tho district. Four of them were shot dead.
Prayong Janteng, Pak Tho district chief, warned people living near the flooded crocodile farm not to go fishing at a canal in the area.
The Meteorological Department said the typhoon has since moved westward and is expected to make landfall in Vietnam Monday. The typhoon would bring heavy rain in the upper North and northeastern region.
Phra Khru Nonthakhun Piphat, abbot of Wat Choeng Len in tambon Tha-it in Nonthaburi's Pak Kret district, inspects the temple’s wall that subsided because of heavy rain. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
