PHUKET: Old Phuket town is among 49 places deemed vulnerable to flash floods or landslides, the Mineral Resources Department said on Tuesday as the tourist island battened down for another dose of bad weather.
The department identified 49 "at-risk villages", including the old quarter and the Chartered Bank community, both popular sites in Muang district.
The agency used a mathematical model and geographic data to pinpoint villages and communities at greatest risk of flooding or landslides.
On Aug 23, heavy rain resulted in landslides that killed 13 people, injured 19 others and damaged more than 50 houses. Officials blamed the clearing of trees on Nak Koet hilltop to make way for a giant statue known as the Big Buddha.
With more heavy rain and rough seas forecast through Saturday, Phuket governor Sophon Suwannarat has ordered all agencies to prepare for possible flash floods, runoff and landslides.
Meanwhile, the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province in the Central Plains has increased its water drainage rate to 1,449 cubic metres per second to prepare for increasing rainfall in the North caused by Tropical Storm Yagi expected to strike Thailand on Friday while water levels in 11 provinces in the Chao Phraya River Basin, including Bangkok, are expected to rise by up to 40 centimetres.
Thanet Somboon, director of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID)'s Bureau of Water Management and Hydrology, revealed that the top of the northern and northeastern regions, including Chiang Rai, Phayao, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani, were recently hit by heavy rain in addition to the eastern region and the western part of the South.
He said Japan's meteorological agency had predicted the northern edge of the Northeast, the eastern region and the western part of the South would see higher rainfall over the next seven days due to Tropical Storm Yagi, which is now in the Philippines.
Thailand is expected to be affected by the storm on Friday, which will result in more rainfall in the northern parts of the North and Northeast.
As a result, water levels are due to rise in the Yom and Nan rivers, resulting in the need to drain water in Phrae and Sukhothai by Friday.
Mr Thanet said this would be the first such storm to affect Thailand this year, albeit not directly, adding this is normal in September.
He said a mass of water from the North had reached the Chao Phraya Dam. The dam will try not to release too much water as it has already increased its drainage rate from 1,399 to 1,449 cubic metres per second.
Meanwhile, acting director-general of the RID, Det Lekwichai, warned the governors of 11 central provinces, namely Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Bangkok, to prepare for higher water levels, with those in some areas of Ang Thong and Ayutthaya likely to climb by between 25 and 40cm.
