More Rain Expected In Southern Thailand As Casualties From Flood Reach 36

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Jan 13 (Bernama) -- Southern Thailand is expected to receive more rain in the coming days as damage to infrastructure and businesses from almost two weeks of flooding in the region began to unravel. The Meteorological Department in its forecast warned of more rain to the east coast and west coast of southern Thailand in the coming days, even as flooding in four provinces began to ease. The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said the situation in Yala, Pattani, Ranong and Narathiwat had started to ease, with the flood waters receding, enabling people to return to their homes and the authorities to inspect the damages. "Thirty-six people are confirmed dead and one still missing from the flooding," the department's chief Chatchai Promlert said today, adding that the disaster which struck 12 southern Thailand's provinces affected 1.2 million residents. The disaster had damaged 17 government installations, 592 roads and 106 bridges, he said. Nakhon Si Thammarat has been the hardest hit province with nine people killed from the flooding. Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn was quoted by the local media as saying that the devastating flood had affected 68 percent of business operators or 43,000 businesses in southern Thailand. These operations, she said, represented US$2.82 billion (100 billion Baht, RM1 = 7.9 Baht) in commercial value but the total damage they suffered as a result of the flooding had yet to be determined. Among the businesses affected were in retail and farming, said the minister. The Highway Department in its assessment of infrastructure damage due to the disaster, said around 641 million Baht was needed to repair roads and related infrastructure damaged by the flood. He said 19 highways in the south were still impassable to motorists due to the disaster. --BERNAMA