Many areas of Phuket flooded, roads blocked

Phuket has been rocked with nonstop overnight rain, leaving many areas of the island flooded. Roads are underwater – including the popular party district Bangla Road in Patong. Phuket Town is flooded, and muddy landslides have closed roads in Kamala. People in affected areas are being assisted by rescue services while police have been dispatched to direct traffic on major roadways like Thepkrasattri Road and coming over Patong Hill on Phra Baramee Rd.

Thepkasattri, Srisoonthorn, Patong, Kamala, Cherng Talay and Pa Khlok are the most affected areas according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation’s Phuket Provincial Office Chief. Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew has made the rounds this morning to see the damage firsthand.

“All parties are helping each other. In subdistricts that have been flooded, all local administrative organizations are to help people who have been affected.”

The floods are due to the continuous downpour that persisted overnight as well as reservoirs in Srisoonthorn inundated with water causing the Bang Neow Dam to overflow. Water pumps installed by government officials have helped keep the flooded areas in Phuket from being more catastrophic as they push a steady flow of water through drainage channels.

Anyone needing to drive the slippery, rain-soaked roads is encouraged to practice extreme caution behind the wheel. The Phuket News reported landslides on the coastal road between Kamala and Patong are blocking traffic and streets in Patong itself are partially submerged. The roads on and off Phuket island are not flooded and are still fully operational though.

Waters on city streets around the island have been up to knee height and in some places even waist-high. The Phuket Land Transport Office reported roads where buses and large trucks could wade through, but smaller cars and motorbikes needed to turn back. Interprovincial buses have been able to slog on through the high waters and schedules are generally unaffected.

Some areas have seen power outages for various reasons. Some power poles have been knocked down in the storms. Other places needed clean-up work that required power to be temporarily cut.

Neighbouring province Phang Nga also reported flash floods due to the monsoon rains that have battered the whole region. The PLTO continues to monitor the situation as waters recede in some neighbourhoods while increasing in others. So far there have been no reported injuries or death.

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