The Meteorological Department today issued a warning to people in the northern and northeastern provinces to brace for heavy rain and accumulated rainfall which may cause flash flood, river or stream overflow and landslides during August 15-16 as a result of a depression.

The department said that the depression has formed in the upper part of the South China Sea off the coast of the southern part of China with its epicenter at 20.5 latitude north and 112.5 longitude east with wind speed near its centre estimated at 50 km/hour.

The depression is expected to cover the upper part of Vietnam during August 15-16 which will cause intense rain with isolated heavy rain in the northern and northeastern provinces.

The department also warned of rough sea and strong wind in the Andaman Sea with waves between 2-4 metres high and 4 metres high in areas where there is a rainstorm.

Stormy sea is also forecast in the Gulf during the same period with waves 2-3 metres high.

Small boats are told not to venture out to sea and those who want to go out are warned to exercise extreme caution while people living along the shorelines of the western and eastern coasts are warned to brace for strong wind.

Meanwhile, the Crisis Ad Hoc Centre of the National Water Resources Office forecast continuous rain today and tomorrow in 21 provinces namely Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Mae Hong Son, Tak, Nong Khai, Burn Karn, Nakhon Phanom, Sakhon Nakhon, Ubon Ratchathani, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Sakaew, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phang-nga.

Moderate up to heavy rains were reported in the past 24 hours in northern and southern provinces, with Ranong recording 125 mm of rain, Phang-nga with 102 mm of rain, Chumporn and Surat Thani with 67.5 mm and 35.8 mm rain respectively.