Phuket on high alert for floods, landslides and strong waves

Phuket issued a warning for flash floods and landslides as heavy to very heavy rain is forecast across southern Thailand from December 11 to 16.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) announced that intense rainfall is expected throughout the South, prompting Phuket to order all relevant agencies to remain on full alert for floods, flash floods, landslides, and strong waves along the coast.

The DDPM’s central office is coordinating with the Meteorological Department to closely monitor weather developments. Phuket’s Provincial DDPM instructed district units, local emergency centres, and related agencies to speed up readiness measures to minimise risks.

District officials were told to monitor rainfall levels, weather data, and high-risk areas, especially hillside locations or water-soaked soil that could trigger landslides or sudden flooding. Immediate warnings must be issued if reservoirs reach more than 80% of their storage capacity.

Local authorities have also been ordered to keep a close watch on hazardous zones, particularly natural tourist sites. They must issue warnings and close these areas immediately if heavy rain creates unsafe conditions.

Landslide alert
Photo by TEERASAK AINKEAW via Canva

In the event of flooding, existing water pumps must be activated before levels reach critical points, and additional pumps will be installed to improve drainage capacity. Officials will also check water colour and turbidity as part of landslide-risk surveillance.

Residents are encouraged to follow updates from government agencies and comply with any warnings issued by local authorities. People are reminded to avoid electrical risks during floods and to follow swimming bans at beaches with dangerous conditions.

Boat operators and fishermen are urged to navigate carefully, with the possibility of a full ban on boats leaving shore if weather conditions worsen.

Beach red flag warning
Photo by Milada Vigerova via Canva

Residents can report emergencies or request assistance via the DDPM hotline 1784, by calling 076-510098, or through Line ID @1784DDPM.

According to today’s weather update for December 11, the upper regions of Thailand will see cooler mornings with light fog, slightly warmer daytime temperatures, and isolated rain in parts of the Northeast, Central Region, East, and Bangkok. The eastern region is expected to experience more frequent thunderstorms.

Phuket NewsThailand NewsThailand Weather Updates

Follow The Thaiger on Google News:

Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.