KANCHANABURI: The famous Erawan Waterfall in Si Sawat district of this western province on Sunday was closed to tourists for safety reasons following days of continuous rain, Erawan National Park chief Pirawat Sirotpipat said.
Mr Pirawat said heavy rain that began on Oct 16 added to rainwater accumulated during a depression on Oct 7-9, causing Huay Mong and Huay Amatala streams to overflow, sending water cascading down to the 7-tier waterfall.
The water has turned muddy and the strong current could be dangerous to tourists entering any of the pools at the waterfall, he said.
The waterfall will remain closed until the situation has been resolved, Mr Pirawat said.
According to reports reaching deputy governor Pongsathorn Sirisakhon on Saturday, flooding had hit many areas in Dan Makham Tia, Tha Maka, Si Sawat and Huay Krachao districts.
In Dan Makham Tia district, many parts of the Dan Makham Tia-Kanchanaburi road were flooded. Low-lying areas in tambons Dan Makham Tia, Nong Phai, Klondo and Chorakhe Phuak were also inundated.
In Tha Maka district, farmland and houses in Moo 15 village in tambon Phra Thaen were flooded.
In Si Sawat district, an earth dike across a stream at Moo 3 village in tambon Nong Pet crumbled, leading to flooding in other villages nearby. Damage was being assessed.
In Huay Krachao district, many villages in tambon Sa Long Rua were inundated. The 109th Artillery Battalion dispatched water pumps and flat-bottomed boats to the villages for relief operations.