Phetchaburi municipality is battling flooding for a second day but crews have stepped up efforts to drain water from the town centre.
Phetchaburi police and the Disaster Mitigation and Prevention Department on Friday reported floods in Muang, Ban Lat, Tha Yang and Ban Laem districts, with the area outside Big C in Muang district one of the hardest-hit locations. Water as deep as 80 centimetres still covered Phetkasem Road outside the hypermarket, they said.
Police warned drivers using the main highway to and from the South to take alternate routes to avoid traffic congestion and possible water damage to their vehicles.
The Phetchaburi Dam was discharging more water from the Phetchaburi River to the four districts downstream after exceptionally heavy rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, Chaiyaphol Thitisak, director-generalof the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda on Friday promised a dry Phetchaburi within three days.
Workers have installed more pumps in the flooded areas to drain the overflow of the river to the Gulf of Thailand in Ban Laem.
The flooding in Phetchaburi was due to the impact of storm Kirogi, which continues to bring heavy rain and strong winds to most southern provinces. Stormy conditions in the region were forecast to continue until Tuesday, according to a Meteorological Department update issued on Friday.