Floods still ravage southern provinces

KRABI, Jan 29 (TNA) - Several southern provinces are still encountering flooding problems, forcing villagers in remote areas to temporarily leave their homes and take shelter elsewhere. In the southern resort of Krabi, officials are installing two water pumps with the combined capacity to pump water at approximately 100,000 litres per minute in two villages after flooding situation remains worrisome, officials said. The two villages have been under floodwater for more than a month and the flood level keeps on rising during the past two weeks, forcing villagers to leave their homes, they said. Villagers who decided not to leave are facing difficulties as there is no sign that the flood level would drop. More than 280 acres of rubber and palm oil plantations in the area has been damaged. Officials believe it would take between two-three weeks for the situation to return to normal. Orchard owners in nearby Surat Thani’s Phunphin district are also suffering after flood has damaged more than 120 acres of fruit. They asked government officials to step in and provide financial assistance. (TNA)