Songkhla declared a disaster zone

Waterfalls Tong Nga Chang, Tone Plew, and Borriphat have been closed until further notice, said diaster relief chief Wijit Jantharapan. More districts are being flooded due to days of heavy rains in addition to many districts already inundated. Several long railway sections in Khuan Niang, Rattaphum and Bang Klam districts are still under water.

Certain coastal residential areas are still facing strong winds and high seas. One home was damaged by tidal waves  an incident considered rare in the province.

In Narathiwat province, residential areas in lowlying districts and those located along SungaiKolok and Sai Buri Rivers are prone to flash flooding due to immediate swelling. Both rivers are now overflowing due to heavy rains. "More heavy rains could result in Tha Rua ville in Rue Soh district facing river swelling," said chief irrigation official Pradit Pinkrajai.

Areas in tambon Palemas remain in a safe stage while the SungaiKolok municipality is still at risk, despite flood preventive measures put in place.

In Phatthalung, flash flood drove 110 households to be evacuated to higer grounds and affected 450  households in three villages in tambon Charat in Kong Ra district.

In Yala, mudslides have been reported near a village in Krong Penang district. It has damaged a home but caused no casualties. A bridge in the district has been damaged by strong currents.

Songkhla Lake yesterday overflowed causing floods in nearby areas.

Latest reports said two locals in the province died because they had accidents caused by floods. 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday called Deputy interior minister Thaworn Senniem while Thaworn had a meeting with local executives in Songkhla to find measures tackling with the flood situation.

The premier asked him about the flood situation there and told every government agency to help ease the flood situation.

The government will allocate Bt50 million to each flooded province and if the amount is not enough, each province can request for other Bt100 million.  

While there is heavy rain in the South, colder weather is spreading in the North, especially in forest and moutaineous areas. A further drop of one to two degree Celcius and dense fog are reported in Chiang Mai in the past week.

The lowest temperature reported on touristfrequented Doi Inthana in Chiang Mai is at seven degree Celcius, with reports of fog and windiness welcoming more visitors to the hill over several previous weekends.