Floods hit Thai far South

FAR SOUTH, THAILAND, December 6 (TNA) - People in many provinces in the Thai far South are suffering from floods, forcing many local schools to have temporarily closed and locals have evacuated from flood-prone areas. In Narathiwat, local authorities reported on Friday that heavy downpours have inundated all 13 districts in the province, with some areas even hit by runoffs from Sankalakiri Mountain Range, and have caused three main rivers, including Sai Buri, Bang Nara and Sungai Kolok Rivers, to overflow, affecting over 19,000 people in six districts and damaging local farmlands, fish and prawn ponds, 22 roads and four bridge embankments, while landslides were also found in 10 locations, blocking traffic, and more than 240 people have, thus, been evacuated to safe places. In Phatthalung Province, continual downpours over the past three days and runoffs from the Banthad Mountain Range have flooded six villages, forcing about 500 households to have moved their belongings to higher places, while people living near the mountain range were warned of more flash floods due to the persistent rain. Updated reports said all 11 districts in the province have already been flooded and more than 10 local schools have been closed. In Trang Province, more than 1,000 households in three districts are suffering from flooding after three-day continual downpours and the Trang River has overflown. Some areas were more than one meter under floodwater. In Songkhla Province, flooding in the Nakhon Songkhla Municipality on Thursday, caused by continual downpours, has been receding and vehicles could run on all local roads on Friday morning. In Hat Yai area alone, floodwater levels remained safe, but Songkhla Governor Krisada Boonrat has ordered agencies concerned to be on alert as it is the rainy season in the Thai South. (TNA)