Agriculture Minister Thammanat Prompao was appointed director of the flood relief operations centre today, in charge of coordinating assistance and relief efforts for flood victims in Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat, Phatthalung and Songkhla provinces, especially in Hat Yai where flooding has reached a critical level.
Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesman for the PM’s Office, said today that the government will immediately send boats, forklifts, generators, mobile kitchens, Bailey bridges and mobile drinking water production units to the coordination centre.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who chaired a meeting today of the public disaster management command centre, explained that boats alone would not help much, due to the strong currents, and forklifts are needed to rescue flood victims trapped in houses which are inaccessible by boat.
He admitted that the flood situation in Hat Yai is critical, as runoffs from upstream areas have surged into the district, adding that many people are experiencing food and drinking water shortages.
He said that he has instructed local officials to urge flood victims in at-risk areas to move to the evacuation shelters for their safety, adding that he expects it to take about one week for the excess water to drain out of Hat Yai.
He also said that more helicopters have been deployed to drop food and to lift people from their flooded houses, but noted that rain could hamper the rescue operations.
All districts in Songkhla province, including Hat Yai, have been declared disaster zones.
