The Thai Meteorological Department says Tropical Storm Rolly (Goni) is expected to reach Thailand on Thursday, bringing yet more heavy rain to the flood-hit upper part of the country.
Goni, a powerful storm that has wreaked havoc in the Philippines over the past two days, is expected to make landfall in Vietnam tomorrow and then lash the northeastern part of Thailand the following day.
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) expects Goni to bring strong winds and heavy rain to northeastern and upper eastern areas from Thursday until Saturday.
The TMD's forecast also warned provinces against forest runoff and flash floods in the northern and eastern regions of the country as these areas have already been drenched by floods that filled up dams and forest canals during the past few weeks.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation yesterday concluded that 91,684 households in 2,355 villages in 34 district had borne the brunt of flooding, forest runoff and mudslides.
Seven lives were reported to have been lost in the recent floods, three in Surat Thani and one each in Chanthaburi, Trang, Prachin Buri and Nakhon Ratchasima.
The department said that flooding had receded in some 30 provinces but not in four -- Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri, Surat Thani and Suphan Buri.
Meanwhile, rescuers in Prachin Buri have yet to find two villagers reported missing since Sunday, when the runoff from Thap lan National park triggered by hours of heavy rain sent water pouring into several villages.
A rescue team of about 50 people yesterday scoured the Phaya Tarn canal trying to find a missing elderly couple but by press time had not found either.
The missing villagers were reported to have been carried away by the strong current which brought down their house and swept it into the canal.
Continuous heavy rain in the area forced irrigation authorities to release water from rapidly filling dams, flooding communities downstream.
Meanwhile, three major dams in flood-hit Nakhon Ratchasima are already full, with more rain from Goni expected to intensify the problem.
Lam Takhong Dam in Si Khiu district is holding 360 million cubic metres of water, or 114% of its design capacity; Lam Phra Phloeng Dam in Pak Thong Chai district 173 million cubic metres (111%) and Lam Moon Bon in Khon Buri district 142 million cubic metres (100%).