NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Jan 4 (TNA) – Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on Thailand’s province of Nakhon Si Thammarat around noon on
Friday, bringing heavy downpours and massive sea swells across the Gulf of
Thailand coast.
The fiercest storm Thailand has faced in decades moved
ashore earlier than previously expected, reaching the coast of the southern
province at 12.45 p.m..
Pak Panang district where Pabuk made its landfall has been
nearly deserted after people were evacuated to shelters. Uprooted trees and debris were scattered on
coastal areas battered with strong winds and heavy downpours.
A municipal gymnasium of Pak Panang has turned to a shelter
for nearly 1,000 villagers. As the storm
made its way through, people in the shelter were frightened by gusty winds
swirling debris around with crushing force on a gymnasium structure.
In nearby Sathing Phra district of Songkhla province,
evacuees have taken shelter at a Buddhist temple.
As Pabuk is heading to the Andaman Sea, tourists continue to
flee many resort islands with fear of safety and impacts on transportations.
Heavy rains are forecast in the Andaman Sea when the storm
passes into on Saturday. Foreign
tourists flocked piers on Phi Phi Island on Friday hoping to catch boats for
the mainland, both Krabi and Phuket.
Officials urged tourists and residents on the resort island
not to panic as emergency response measures and logistic preparations have been
in place.
In coastal provinces from Prachuap Khiri Khan to Narathiwat,
heavy rains are forecast until Sunday.
After reaching the Andaman Sea on Saturday, the storm is likely to move
north-east toward Myanmar coast. (TNA)
