Heavy rains, rough sea alerted along coastal Thai provinces

BANGKOK, July 7 (TNA) -- Fifteen provinces lying along the Andaman and the Gulf of Thailand are expected to be hit by heavy rains and high waves could be seen in those provinces between July 7-12, said Chayapol Thitisak, Director-General of Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. Flash flood is possible due to expected heavy rains in the 15 coastal provinces, mostly in the South, and people living in these provinces must stay on alert during the six-day period, said Mr Chayapol. Port officials, fishermen and marine police are requested to patrol frequently and also to issue warnings to small trawlers and tourist boats to travel carefully and, if possible, to stay ashore for their safety, he said. People who live in these provinces ought to closely monitor weather forecasts during the period, he added. The stern warning was issued following Thursday’s accidents in which two tourist boats and a jet ski capsized in rough seas off the southern coastal province of Phuket in which 41 persons, mostly Chinese tourists, drowned and at least 15 persons are still missing to date. (TNA)