Weather blocks roads, cuts power and phones

PHUKET: The wet and windy weather of the past few days has caused flooding in several parts of the island, and knocked out power and telephones in a number of locations. Several roads have also been blocked by fallen trees or utility poles. The Bypass Road around Phuket Town was blocked this morning by a fallen tree, while another tree fell across a road on Koh Sireh yesterday, blocking traffic to and from Baan Laem Tuk Kea for two hours. The Patong-Kamala road was closed briefly this morning after a landslide knocked a telephone pole onto the road. The road has since been reopened, but police have warned motorists to avoid it if possible. Police in Phuket Town reported this afternoon that Phang Nga Rd was flooded between Thepkrassatri Rd and Montri Rd and was closed while the municipality tried to unblock storm drains. They also recommended that drivers avoid Wichitsongkram Rd between the Mobil petrol station and Surakhul Stadium; Narisorn Road in front of Satree Phuket School; Phuket Road from the Metropole roundabout to Saphan Hin; and Thung Kha Road. These areas are low-lying and subject to continuing flooding. In Patong, police reported flooding in both Thaweewong Rd and Rat-U-Thit Rd. Although the flooding on Thaweewong has subsided, stretches of Rat-U-Thit and Soi Sai-Namyen remain under water. Motorists are advised not to travel to Patong unless the trip is essential, so as to help ease congestion caused by the flooding. An advertising hoarding in Patong for the new Lotus store fell onto power lines, causing a small fire and cutting power between the Patong Merlin Hotel and Simon Cabaret. Power failures were also reported in Baan Kuku in Phuket Town; between the deep sea port and the aquarium in Ao Makham; in Soi Tontarn in Rawai; and in Baan Mai Khao in Thalang. Phones were cut in Baan Kuku, along Nai Yang Beach, and in part of Karon Beach. The wild weather is being caused by a tropical depression which originated in the South China Sea. Wind speeds of up to 45 kilometers an hour have been recorded, and the clouds dumped 98.3 millimeters on Phuket yesterday. The depression continues to move southwest into the Andaman Sea at about 11 kilometers an hour. Winds can be expected to pick up speed again as the clouds move out over the ocean. Wave heights of up to four meters have been recorded in the seas around Phuket, so small boats should not venture out, an advisory from the Meteorological Center stressed. The swells are likely to last even after the storm has passed, so swimmers are urged to restrict themselves to hotel pools until the red flags are removed from the beaches.