Sixteen roads in the southern provinces of Songkhla, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat are impassable due to widespread flooding, as rain continues unabated, according to the Highways Department.
The department reported late Wednesday night that 63 roads were flooded or hit by landslides, leaving 16 of them impassable, while the rest are still passable albeit with difficulty.
In Songkhla province, impassable roads include a 4km section between Pang La and the permanent border checkpoint in Sadao district and another section of the road between Khlong Ngae and Na Juak.
In Pattani province, Ni-annuwa Suliman the mayor of Mueang district, said last night that flooding from heavy and continuous rainfall was exacerbated by a high tide, adding that the province is also the expecting runoffs from Yala, which are flowing into the Pattani River and the sea.
He complained of insufficient water pumps to cope with the situation, saying that the existing ones have been operating non-stop for 24 hours, adding that motorists and motorcyclists have been advised to park their cars on higher ground in spaces being made available by the municipal administration.
The Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation is advising people in 13 southern provinces to brace for river overflows, flash floods and landslides from Wednesday until December 4th, due to the arrival of a moderate to strong cold front from China.
Strong winds and high waves are forecast in both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf, as sailors are advised to exercise greater caution and to avoid stormy areas.
In Songkhla province, 15 out of 16 districts are already flooded as rain continues to pour into the province, with the worst-flooded districts being Thepa, Na Thawi, Saba Yoi, Chana and Sadao, particularly in Thepa.
A flood emergency centre has been set up to assist flood victims and hotlines have been installed to receive calls for help.
