15 TOURISTS DEAD, 700 SHIPPED TO SAFETY AS FLOODS RAVAGED THAILANDS
BANGKOK, Thailand - Several main roads in the south have been blocked by floods or landslides, and some bridges are damaged and unpassable. More heavy rain is expected for the next day or two, according to the weather bureau.More than 700 Thai and foreign tourists were shipped or airlifted to safety off islands in southern Thailand Thursday, after heavy flooding which has left at least 15 people dead.
- A Thai navy vessel docked carried people from popular tourist destination islands off the coast of Surat Thani province to Suvarnabhumi International Airport and other destinations like Bangkok and Pattaya.
- Four helicopters were then deployed to rescue stranded people, who were then taken to the waiting navy vessels.
- In the mean time, the airport on Samui Island says that it has suspended services indefinitely because roads surrounding it are flooded. Hundreds of travellers, mostly foreigners stayed at the facility overnight.
- Airports of Thailand Plc. says one other southern airport, Nakhon Si Thammarat, is also closed.
Thailand’s weather bureau said torrential rains were expected for one or two more days over much of southern Thailand. It warned of more flooding and wind-whipped waves making sailing unsafe for small boats.
