BANGKOK: Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Thailand have killed 22 people over the past several days, disaster officials said on Monday, as authorities warned of further flash floods and landslides this week.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported on Monday that the floods, which have ravaged 13 provinces over the last 10 days, have also injured 19 people and affected over 30,000 households.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred on Thailand’s popular resort island of Phuket, where a landslide caused by the torrential rains killed 10 people, including a Russian couple. The landslide, which struck a residential area, has raised concerns about the safety of the region’s infrastructure amid increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
The disaster officials have also reported three workers missing in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district after soil collapsed into a tunnel under construction for a high-speed train project. The missing workers include two Chinese nationals and one person from Myanmar.
With the monsoon season in full force, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has issued warnings for 31 provinces in the northern and northeastern parts of Thailand. These areas are particularly vulnerable to flash floods and landslides until Thursday, as the rains are expected to continue.
“People should also follow the weather forecast and take warnings seriously,” the department advised. Local authorities in Bangkok urged residents, especially those living on the outskirts and along the river, to move their belongings to higher ground as a precaution against possible flooding.
While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains, experts warn that the intensity of these weather events is being exacerbated by man-made climate change.
