Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his entourage will fly to Nakhon Si Thammarat on Monday to see the damage caused by tropical storm Pabuk -- now downgraded to a low-pressure area -- and visit storm-hit people, prime minister's deputy secretary-general for political affairs Puttipong Punnakanta said on Sunday.
Mr Puttipong said Gen Prayut has been informed by the national disaster prevention and mitigation centre that tropical storm Pabuk has weakened and will eventually dissolve.
However, people are advised to closely monitor official weather forecasts and stay alert for possible heavy downpours in some areas -- especially in Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Ranong provinces -- which could lead to forest run-off and flash floods in low-lying areas. (Continues below)
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"The prime minister has learned that several provinces have been affected by the storm, a large number of public utilities including power posts and roads damaged and residential and farming areas inundated," Mr Puttipong said. "Following the degradation of the storm, the people have gradually returned to their residences. The prime minister has instructed every province to assess needed repairs and rehabilitation, and take remedial actions to help the people affected by the storm."
Mr Puttipong said Gen Prayut and his entourage will fly to Nakhon Si Thammarat early on Monday to visit storm-hit people, distribute bags of survival gear and launch a cleanup operation.
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said on Sunday that the storm had affected 212,784 people, with three fatalities and one person missing, in 2,635 villages in 18 provinces from Thursday to Saturday.
Nakhon Si Thammarat, where Pabuk made landfall on Friday, was hit hardest with almost 180,000 residents in 23 districts affected by the storm. Flooding persists in Phipun, Chang Klang, Chawang and Cha-uat districts.
All shelters have been closed except for eight in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where 1,119 people have decided to stay until flooding recedes.
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- Storm leaves trail of damage in wake