Phuket braces for floods as emergency pumps deployed
Phuket is battening down the hatches as officials race to prevent flash floods and landslides, with a massive emergency response underway across the island.
With heavy rainfall already soaking parts of the province, the Phuket governor has issued an urgent directive to all district chiefs, local government leaders, and heads of government agencies to launch immediate preventative action.
The warning calls for intensified efforts to tackle potential flooding in high-risk areas, following forecasts of more torrential downpours in the coming days.
Wichit Sutthaso, Chief of the Phuket Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, revealed that at 3.30pm on Wednesday, April 16, the provincial command centre instructed district-level emergency teams and local administrative organisations to ramp up flood defences.
Crews have been ordered to dredge canals and ditches, clear drains of mud and debris, remove weeds, and ensure water flows freely through Phuket’s ageing infrastructure.
As part of the response, the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation has allocated 36 water pumps to flood-prone locations:
-
23 pumps have been deployed to known risk zones across the island:
-
13 emergency pumps are also on standby, including two 6-inch, six 8-inch, and five 12-inch units, ready to be dispatched where needed most.
Local municipalities are already taking action on the ground:
-
Ratsada subdistrict: Deputy Mayor Pranom Kaewprang led staff into the Thiam Pracha Udom Community to assess rising water levels, directing fire trucks to wash roads and initiating drainage canal clean-ups to prevent recurring floods.
-
Wichit subdistrict: Engineering teams removed fallen trees and garbage from blocked waterways around Chao Fa Village, Phuket Villa Daorung, and Baan Suan Muang Thong. Mud-clearing operations were also conducted along the Khao Khad–Ao Yon Road.
-
Phuket City: Officials distributed sandbags to residents in Talat Nuea and Talat Yai to stop water from breaching homes. Emergency barriers were provided to the Luang Pho Community as a pre-emptive measure.
Meanwhile, the Phuket Area 18 Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Centre has mobilised machinery and personnel, ready to support provincial teams around the clock, reported The Phuket News.
Officials urge residents to stay alert and follow updates from local agencies, which remain on standby 24 hours for emergency assistance.
Latest Thailand News
