SONGKHLA, Jan 3 (TNA) – Southern provinces of Thailand
order evacuations and other disaster mitigation measures as Tropical Storm
Pabuk is forecast to make a landfall on the coastal areas on Friday.
The latest report by the Meteorological Department says at
4.00 p.m. local time on Thursday Pabuk was moving toward the Gulf of Thailand,
about 500 kilometers southeast of Nakhon Si Thammarat province with maximum
sustained winds of 65 km/hr.
Officials in southern provinces had urgently prepared for
the worst as the storm could wreak havoc in Thailand’s southern coastal
provinces from Thursday to Saturday.
People in many communities along the coast have been ordered
to evacuate after strong winds are forecast with waves up to 3-5 meters high in
the Gulf and 2-3 meters high in the Andaman Sea.
The authorities urged people to heed the warning: all ships
to keep ashore and be aware of inshore surges.
However, in Songkhla, 21 fishing boats are reportedly staying out in the
ocean, prompting the naval force to locate them.
Strong warning is issued for the popular tourist islands of
Samui and Pha-ngan in Surat Thani province which are on the path of the
storm. The Department of National Park,
Wildlife and Fauna Protection has considered closures of many marine parks as
the tropical storm is approaching Thailand.
The storm has already brought heavy rains and rough seas in
the southern coastal areas.
According to the Meteorological Department Pabuk will move
pass Chumphon and Surat Thani in southern Thailand Friday night. From Thursday through Saturday, it will
extensively trigger torrential downpours in the south and Bangkok from Thursday
onwards. (TNA)
