'Nuri' batters country over the weekend

'Nuri' batters country over the weekend

A Grab food delivery man rides his motorcycle through floodwaters on Srinakarin Road in the capital. Several streets in Bangkok were inundated after heavy downpours yesterday morning. Wichan Charoenkiatpakul
A Grab food delivery man rides his motorcycle through floodwaters on Srinakarin Road in the capital. Several streets in Bangkok were inundated after heavy downpours yesterday morning. Wichan Charoenkiatpakul

Almost 330 houses in six provinces have been damaged by Tropical Storm Nuri which made landfall over Guangdong province in China but caused heavy rain in upper Thailand over the weekend.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported yesterday that 324 houses in 11 districts of Phayao, Udon Thani, Uttaradit, Loei, Kalasin and Surat Thani had been damaged. There were no deaths or injuries reported during the storm. The department has sent its officials to work with soldiers and local officials to help those affected.

However, the department said some southern parts of the country also suffered from rainstorms caused by the storm over the weekend.

Parts of Muang district in Nakhon Ratchasima were flooded after heavy rain pounded the area for several hours on Sunday night.

The outbound lanes of Mittraphap Highway leading to Saraburi were reported inundated with traffic at a standstill after many small vehicles stalled due to flooded engines.

Many low-lying areas in Nakhon Ratchasima, particularly near Safe-One Market -- Thailand's biggest night market -- were also underwater.

Businesses planning to stay open until midnight, to greet the lifting of the curfew, were disappointed as potential customers were put off by the inclement conditions.

According to forecasts by the Thai Meteorological Department, the strong southwest monsoon is still prevailing across the Andaman Sea and is likely to continue to affect Thailand.

This, in conjunction with a low-pressure system covering upper Laos and Vietnam, was expected to cause isolated heavy to very heavy rain in the North, Northeast, Central, East and South regions of Thailand yesterday and today, the department said.

Two villages in Nong Phai district of Phetchabun were inundated by flash flooding following heavy rain on Sunday night, local officials said yesterday.

Chantrapa Sukhan, assistant head of Moo 1 village in tambon Yang Ngam, said the rain began about 9pm and continued. Runoff from Wang Haew mountain poured into a downstream canal.

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