Storm affects many Thai areas

NAKHON PHANOM, THAILAND, July 15 (TNA) - Many Thai areas have been affected by Typhoon Rammasun, which has caused torrential downpours over the past few days, while big waves are expected to remain along the country's southern coastal areas facing the Andaman Sea over the next 3-4 days. In Nakhon Phanom Province in the Thai Northeast, persistent downpours resulted in a 30-50-centimeter flood on a 300-meter-long section of a road linking Ban Don Ya Nang and Ban Pho Tak, causing impassable to small vehicles. Overflows from waterways also flooded vast areas of paddy fields and rubber plantations in Nakhon Phanom and Bung Kan Provinces. In Trang Province in the Thai South, big waves of 2-2.5 meters high continued to hit the Pak Meng Beach in Sikao District, while seawater flooded lowlands and a seaside road. The big waves also damaged wooden piers of fishing boats and breakwaters in Khlong Prasong Sub-district of Muang District in nearby Krabi Province, while trees were toppled on the Khlong Thalu Beach. People living in many coastal areas facing the Andaman Sea have been warned of continual crashing waves, heavy downpours with possible runoffs and landslides over the next 3-4 days. On the contrary, drought is, meanwhile, destroying about 80 square kilometres of paddy fields in Muang District of Phichit Province in the Lower Thai North due to insufficient water in natural water sources and big dams in the North, prompting local authorities to request artificial rainmaking from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. (TNA)