As tropical storm Podul exited the country after drenching some northern and northeastern provinces since Friday night, the Meteorological Department on Sunday released a warning of a new storm approaching Hainan Island in China.
The path of the new storm, which has less strength than Podul, is not headed directly for Thailand but its course will nonetheless bring rainfall to the country, the weather agency said.
“There will be no direct impact, but the monsoon trough will bring rain, sometimes heavy, to the northeastern region from Sept 2-3,” weather forecaster Chaicharn Sitthiworanant said.
Podul, which weakened after unleashing downpours on Thailand and left the country on Saturday, has flooded 24 provinces since the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department started tracking the damage from the storm on Thursday. Areas in 15 provinces were still inundated on Sunday, it said.
The storm claimed two lives, including one in Ban Phai district of Khon Kaen, which was severely damaged by flash flooding.
Floodwaters in Ban Phai started receding yesterday, allowing traffic on the Mitrapap highway to return to normal.
Although the flooding has eased, the water level in Lam Huay Chik stream in the district remained high, and the water was flowing rapidly.
Some families that escaped the flooding to higher ground have returned to their houses in Sumnaman Pattana, Sapan Khao, Mor 1 Pattana and Mitrapap 4 Pattana communities.
However, many other families have not been able to do so as their houses, which are located in low-lying areas by Lam Huay Chik stream, are still flooded. Some structures were swept away.
People left homeless have been provided with temporary shelters at six locations by government flood relief agencies.
Pornnapa Padse, 44, of the Sumnaman Pattana community, said the floodwater came so fast and rapidly that her family members were not able to take all of their belongings despite being well prepared for it. The strong current swept away the whole house, she said. All she could do was to take her parents and other family members out of the house.
Food, medicines and clothes are needed, Mrs Pornnapa said.
Traffic on both sides of a previously inundated two-kilometre section of Mitrapap highway between the Kiatsin and Ban Kerng intersections has returned to normal. The 2-km stretch of Chaeng Sanit road from the Kiatsin intersection that was flooded on Saturday near a bridge across Lam Huay Chik stream has also been reopened to traffic.