Trang: Communities on both sides of the Trang River are still experiencing flooding 1-2 meters deep. Many villagers admit to being careless and did not expect the water to reach this high. Meanwhile, in Pattani, floodwaters have been stagnant for more than 8 days and are starting to turn black.
According to Thai News Agency, the flood situation in nine districts of Trang Province has begun to ease in seven districts, except for communities along the Trang River, which remain inundated. Water levels remain high in Villages 3, 4, and 5 of Bang Rak Subdistrict, Mueang Trang District. Nearly 50 households in Ban Tai, Bang Rak Subdistrict, have been flooded up to their roofs. Residents have been unable to move their belongings to escape the floodwaters, as the current has been rising rapidly this time and has been rising continuously since November 23.
Villagers said the water level inundated their homes more than two meters, despite the fact that it hadn’t flooded since 2020. Even if it did, it wasn’t severe, as large canals were dug in Bang Rak Subdistrict to facilitate water drainage. However, they were also careless this year, not expecting such a large flood. They only lifted some belongings to higher ground, but the water level rose all the way up to the roof of their house, causing extensive damage to many properties.
Trang Province has 10 districts in total. Currently, 9 districts, 64 sub-districts, 11 municipalities, 61 communities, 440 villages, and 16,344 households are flooded. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected and three people have died. Two districts: Mueang and Kantang still experience flooding of 1-2 meters. Specifically, Bang Rak and Khuan Pring sub-districts in Mueang district, Khok Yang sub-districts, Khuan Thani sub-districts, Yan Sue sub-districts, and Bang Mak sub-district in Kantang district remain inundated due to the floodwaters in many districts and their proximity to the Trang River. It is expected that if there is no rainfall or high tide, water levels will return to normal within one to two weeks.
In Pattani Province, water levels are receding, but drainage is slow due to high tides. Floodwaters that have been stagnant for over eight days are starting to turn black. The flooding situation in Pattani Province is beginning to ease, with water levels steadily dropping due to the decreasing volume of water flowing into the Pattani River from Yala Province and decreased rainfall. However, high tides during the night slowed the flow of water to the sea. The latest update on the water level in Pattani Municipality shows that several roads remain submerged. Officials are still using barriers to prevent all vehicles from passing through. Meanwhile, the water level on some roads has dropped to less than 20 centimeters, allowing small vehicles and motorcycles to pass through. Most shops remain closed, awaiting further rainfall or high tides.
Pattani Mayor Niannuwa Sulaiman revealed that Pattani Municipality had prepared for flooding, but this year’s rainfall has been unusual. Since November 18th, the floodwaters have been mostly rainwater. When the rains began to ease, the municipality has been pumping out almost all of the water, but a large amount of water from Yala Province has been added. Villagers previously believed the flooding was caused by a dam releasing water, but he clarified that the dam has not released any water to date. The slow receding water level is due to a nearby strong monsoon, which pushed up seawater. When the seawater rose, the water discharge was not fully drained. The water level in Pattani Municipality has overflowed its banks by an average of 30 centimeters. Although the situation is improving due to less rain, concerns remain that the water in the municipality is starting to turn black.