Satun: Satun is facing a difficult situation as flash floods have swept into villages in several districts, forcing a disaster emergency to be declared. In Trang Province, officials braved the floodwaters to rescue nine villagers and two children aged between 3 and 5 years old who were stranded on an island in the middle of the village.
According to Thai News Agency, three consecutive days of heavy rain caused floodwaters to overflow into several districts last night. In Kuan Kalong District, Village No. 5, Ban Udai Tai, officials rushed to evacuate 41 villagers late in the night. In Manang District, villagers were unable to move their belongings in time despite warnings, as floodwaters soared that many had to climb onto their roofs. In Thung Wa District, floodwaters inundated homes, forcing villagers to move their belongings in a flurry. In Wang Na Village, Village No. 10, Nam Phut Subdistrict, La-ngu District, navy personnel rushed in flat-bottomed boats to evacuate children, the elderly, and the sick. In the Loh Phak Krut and Hua Khao Daeng areas, floodwaters rose to over two meters, turning into a sea. In some areas, the water was so swift that small boats were unable to evacuate residents. In Kuan Don District, the hardest hit, a large mass of water from Ton Panan Waterfall overflowed onto the main Satun-Hat Yai road around 3 a.m.
Satun is considered to be in a flood crisis, with flooding affecting seven districts, 11 sub-districts, and 62 villages. Over seven thousand households have been affected, and officials are continuing to provide assistance throughout the day.
In Trang Province, late last night, rescue workers rescued villagers in Ban Wang Hin, on the border between Khuan Mao Subdistrict, Ratsada District, Trang Province, and Bang Khan Subdistrict, Bang Khan District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. Nine villagers and two children aged 3-5 were stranded on an island in the middle of the village surrounded by strong currents. Officials, along with over 30 personnel, navigated a two-kilometer stretch of 2-meter-high water and darkness to rescue everyone safely. The rescue took over two hours. Four districts in Trang Province: Huai Yot, Ratsada, Mueang, and Na Yong districts have been flooded, affecting over 1,000 households and affecting over 3,000 residents. Rubber plantations, oil palm plantations, and other agricultural crops have also been inundated.
In Songkhla Province, 16 districts have been flooded. Mr. Sopon Thongsai, head of the Songkhla Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, stated that inspections with the Meteorological Center of the Eastern Southern Region revealed that widespread rainfall will continue across the region today. Water from the mountains, forests, and canals will continue to flow into low-lying areas, including the U-Tapao and Phuminat Damri canals. Therefore, the situation must be closely monitored.
All relevant agencies will urgently mobilize their forces, including water pumps, to urgently pump water out of the area. Meanwhile, Songkhla Province has declared 13 districts disaster zones: Rattaphum, Hat Yai, Khuan Niang, Na Thawi, Krasae Sin, Singhanakhon, Khlong Hoi Khong, Mueang, Na Mom, Ranot, Bang Klam, Chana, and Sathing Phra. Sadao, Thepha, and Saba Yoi districts are still under investigation.