NAN: Heavy rain and runoff generated by tropical storm Bebinca ravaged several districts in Nan province overnight, with one man electrocuted at his flooded home.
Downpours struck Pua, Santisuk and Mae Charim districts. The Nam Yao River rose to the critical level of 4.50 metres in Pua district, where it overflowed and flooded many houses in Ban Rong and Ban San villages.
Ban San School suspended classes on Friday, with floodwater about 50cm deep and still rising. A householder in Ban San Tai village, Sanit Natethip, was electrocuted while trying to move his belongings to higher ground.
Col Rattana Pattanasophon, commander of a 32nd ranger task force, led soldiers to help affected residents in Pua district.
In Santisuk district, forest runoff flooded the Nan-Sansisuk road in tambon Dupong and the Donchai road in tambon Palaewluang, making them impassable to all vehicles.
Soldiers and officials from local disaster prevention and mitigation offices were dispatched to help residents at affected villages in Santisuk district, particularly households along the Muab River, where the water rose sharply and flooded nearby houses.
Nan governor Paisan Wimonrat on Friday put all agencies on full alert for flash floods and landslides.
The Department of Water Resources ordered the evacuation of 11 villages in Santisuk district deemed at risk of flooding and landslides. Sixty-eight villages in Pua, Tha Wang Pha and Muang districts were warned to brace for flash floods.
The Meteorological Department on Friday said tropical storm Bebinca, with maximum sustained winds about 70kph, was moving west at 16kph into upper Vietnam.
It would then downgrade to a tropical depression and then a low-pressure cell over Laos on Aug 18. Isolated torrential downpours were possible for all regions of Thailand, the weather office said.
