Province “ready to tackle floods’

PHUKET: As the rainy season begins, the Phuket Provincial Government has listed 69 areas across the island as being vulnerable to flooding, and is establishing a center to deal with flood emergencies. Metha Mekarat, Chief of Phuket’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, told the Gazette that the list was the result of survey work conducted last year. Three areas were listed as particularly vulnerable to flooding, he said. These are: – Low-lying areas in Koh Kaew; – Amphur Rd and Luang Por Chuon Rd in Phuket City; – The Baan Bor Kruad area of Tambon Thepkrasattri, in Thalang District. K. Metha said that his office would collect rainfall data from 12 sites across the island on a daily basis and issue flood warnings through local media and government offices when necessary. He said a recurrence of last October’s flooding was unlikely. “The main flooding in Phuket City last year happened because the water could not drain off through Klong Bang Yai fast enough. We have addressed that problem by dredging and cleaning the klong. “We have also reduced the risk of landslides in high-risk areas by terracing slopes,” he said. K. Metha added that a Center for Flood Prevention and Relief would be set up soon at Phuket Provincial Hall to deal with flooding anywhere on the island. A 50 million-baht budget has already been approved by the provincial government to deal with flooding emergencies, he added.