PHUKET: Many parts of this southern island resort province have been flooded, causing widespread traffic chaos, following heavy downpours from early Saturday night to Sunday morning.
Governor Narong Woonciew said all disaster prevention and mitigation centres and local administrations had been instructed to mobilise manpower and equipment to help flood-hit people, adding that the water levels varied - knee-deep at some locations and waist-deep at other spots.
Udonporn Kan, chief of the provincial disaster prevent and mitigation office, said the flooded areas included tambons Thep Kasattri, Si Sunthorn, Patong, Kamala, Choeng Thalay and Pa Khlok in Thalang district.
He said in tambon Patong, there was a landslide at the uphill slope to Patong mountain. Patong fire department staff were working hard to remove the fallen earth from the road. Many power posts also fell across the road, prompting the Provincial Electricity Authority to temporarily cut off the power, pending repairs.
Pol Col Pisit Chuenphet, the Thalang police chief, said the Thep Kasattri road - both in-bound and out-bound - was passable only to big vehicles.
The Phuket international airport issued an announcement, asking passengers to leave for the airport 3-4 hours earlier than their scheduled departures to prevent missing their flights.
The Nakhon Phuket Municipality's public relations office also issued an announcement, saying that water in Klong Bangyai canal had risen due to heavy rain, causing flooding in many areas.
People in need of help or wanting sandbags to build flood-prevention walls were advised to call 076-211111, 199 or Phuket Municipality number 1132.
The 3rd Naval Area also deployed four rapid-response mobile teams to help flood-hit people at the Old Town area, the Tha Rua shrine and Satri Phuket School.