Flooding persists in four northeastern provinces and heavy rain is forecast to continue until Sunday in many areas, including Bangkok, before temperatures drop by 3-5 degrees Celsius in upper Thailand from Sunday to Thursday.
Chaiyaphol Thitisak, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said on Saturday that flooding remained in Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, Roi Et and Si Sa Ket.
A total of 18,063 people in 45 locations were evacuated in Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. Most of them were in Ubon Ratchathani, where 17,901 people in 42 locations were moved, said Mr Chaiyaphol.
Two recently departed storms — Padul andKajiki — have triggered flash floods, runoff and mudslides that ravaged 32 provinces nationwide since Aug 29. A total of 419,768 households in 7,172 villages in 183 districts have been affected.
A total of 4,943 houses were damaged. There were 35 confirmed deaths linked to flooding in Yasothon (9), Roi Et (6), Amnat Charoen (5), Khon Kaen (3), Ubon Ratchathani (3), Si Sa Ket (3), Phichit (2), Phitsanulok (1), Mukdahan (1), Sakon Nakhon (1) and Nan (1). One person was injured in Chaiyaphum, said the department chief.
In an announcement issued at 11am on Saturday, the Meteorological Department said the monsoon trough was found across the lower North, upper Central region and lower Northeast while a moderate high-pressure system from China covered upper Vietnam and Laos. Thundershowers, gusty winds and torrential rains are likely in upper Thailand during the weekend. And from Sunday to Thursday, the temperatures will drop by 3-5C.
On Saturday, heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to affect 11 provinces in the North (Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Uttaradit, Tak, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet and Phetchabun); six in the Northeast (Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani); 14 provinces in the Central Plains (Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Lop Buri, Saraburi and Ayutthaya), Bangkok and surrounding provinces; eight in the East (Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat); and three in the South (Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan and Chumphon).
On Sunday, heavy rain and gusty winds are forecast to hit five provinces in the Northeast (Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchathani), 11 in the Central Plains (Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Samut Songkhram, Samut Sakhon, Nakhon Pathom, Suphan Buri, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Ayutthaya), Bangkok and surrounding provinces; eight in the East (Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaeo, Chachoengsao, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat); and four in the South (Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon and Rayong), said the department.