The affected area of Thepkasattri Road is in the island’s northern Thalang district. The Thai national Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) posted up warnings on social media saying that travellers flying out of Phuket Airport should allow extra time for bus or taxi journeys.
The flooding also had an impact on arriving and departing intercity bus services as some drivers had to take diversions on Don Chom Tao Road and swing round the coastal route via Patong to reach Phuket Old Town. According to Phuket Wan, flooding also prevented residents and holidaymakers from accessing the Nai Yang area of the island and they were ferried in by dinghy.
Flooding has been exacerbated by runoff from Phuket’s hills onto low-lying areas. The forecast is more rain and the floods are set to linger for a few days longer. Phuket DDPM director Santhawat Riwleung said the rains would last until at least Friday and people needed to be aware that flashfloods and landslides were a possibility.
Deep flood blocks main Phuket Island thoroughfare
News in Asia
Torrential rains triggered flooding which blocked the main road through Thailand’s Phuket Island to most traffic yesterday. Reporters at the scene said the floodwater was too deep for standard saloon cars, but higher wheelbase 4WD vehicles could still get through.