After more than fifteen hours of torrential rain, several tourist districts in Phuket are once again paralysed by flash floods, forcing residents to evacuate their shops that had barely been cleaned following a previous inundation.
On 28 October, Phuket authorities faced a new wave of flooding caused by continuous rainfall for more than fifteen hours. Reddish, mud-laden water surged down the mountain slopes, rapidly submerging low-lying areas.
From 3 pm, a turbulent flow invaded the road leading to Kata Noi beach, in the Karon district. The drainage network, limited to eighty centimetres in width and bordered by buildings, could not contain the volume. Numerous cars and motorbikes had to turn back, while shopkeepers placed sandbags and metal barriers to protect their premises.
By 5:30 pm, the situation worsened in the Na Nai district of Patong. Water flooded the streets in under five minutes, trapping residents returning from work. Municipal teams, rescue workers and volunteers from the Kusoltham foundation immediately intervened to pump out the water and secure high-risk areas.
« We had only just finished cleaning the mud from our shop this morning. When the rain returned, the water submerged everything in less than five minutes. We had no time to react and our stock has been ruined again », said a weary Mrs Anong, 48, a shopkeeper in the Na Nai district.
Local authorities have urged residents to avoid travelling through flooded areas and to place valuables at height. Emergency services remain on standby around the clock to assist those affected.
Source : Dailynews