Residents in the flood-hit far South have been warned to brace for more rain over the next two to three days as a tropical storm approaches.
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) director-general Chatchai Phromlert yesterday said he wanted people to stay within designated safety zones after the Meteorological Department (TMD) warned that Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani should brace for more downpours. The DDPM will prepare food and medical supplies for people in need, Mr Chatchai said.
The weather office yesterday issued a warning concerning tropical cyclone Jangmi, centred over southern parts of the Philippines. The storm was moving southwest to the lower South China Sea at speeds of 15km per hour. More rain and isolated heavy downpours are expected on Saturday and Sunday in areas south of Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The forecast came as floods in the far South started to ease off. In Narathiwat, the Sungai Kolok River was 1.6 metres above its banks yesterday, down from an earlier 1.8 metres. Flooding is expected to subside within one week.
Narathiwat governor Natthapong Sirichana took staff into affected areas to offer aid supplies to people struggling with severe floods in Malaysia. They visited Kuala Krai and Tumpat, villages in Malaysia's Kelantan state. Kuala Krai is the worst-hit place in the state and people are still in need of food, he said. The governor's team was greeted by state chief minister Ahmad Yakob, who thanked the Thai authorities for their help.
Meanwhile, a Vietnamese freighter was washed ashore by strong waves in Narathiwat's Muang district, close to the spot where an Indonesian palm oil tanker has been grounded since late last month.
The Halong Bay 2301, which had been anchored about 400 metres off Narathat beach, was carried away by rough seas, then washed ashore on Tuesday afternoon.
It was found only 100 metres from the grounded Sricadi 151 tanker, which is carrying 2.7 million litres of palm oil. Thai authorities earlier seized that tanker from hijackers who took over the vessel in Indonesia.