Death toll nears 60 in affected areas. SOUTHERN FLOOD CRISIS

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Death toll nears 60 in affected areas
SOUTHERN FLOOD CRISIS
By The Nation 2011-04-10

PM, Suthep visit victims, 2 bodies found in Krabi
Severe flooding in the southern provinces has killed 59 people, totally destroyed 396 homes, and damaged 5,769 roads and 1.1 million rai of farmland, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Departmen

Nakhon Si Thammarat saw the highest flood-related death toll of 26, followed by Surat Thani (12), Krabi (10), Phatthalung (5), Chumphon (3), Trang (2) and Phang-nga (1), the department said yesterday.

The department said the flooding, which hit 10 southern provinces since last month, has receded in six provinces while Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Surat Thani and Trang remain submerged, with some 461,794 people affected.

The Public Health Ministry reported a toll of 63 from the flooding, but reasons for the four "extra" deaths were not known late yesterday. Meanwhile, over 81,000 people had been reportedly sick, with 72 people rated at risk of suicide, with another 119 very stressed and 177 suffering depression.

People feeling stressed or depressed were advised to call the mental health hotline 1323 (around the clock).

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visited flood victims in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani yesterday morning, while Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban went to inspect the situation in Krabi.

HRH Princess Srirasmi was also due to visit flood victims in Nakhon Si Thammarat's Sichon district today, while Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont presented relief bags to 500 Songkhla residents yesterday on behalf of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

Abhisit was joined by Agriculture Minister Theera Wongsamut when he arrived at Nakhon Si Thammarat at 9.40am to hand over relief supplies and inspect flood damage in several areas including Sichon and Nop Phi Tham districts. He confirmed the government would help victims as much as possible with their homes, farmland and the Bt5,000-per-family compensation.

The PM urged provincial officials to quickly repair roads and transport links and to assess the flood damage for a report to Cabinet tomorrow to approve funds for flood-affected people.

In the afternoon, the premier visited victims in Surat Thani and inspected the tap water system, which was damaged by a flood on March 23, before returning to Bangkok at 3pm.

Provincial Electricity Authority officials managed to restore power yesterday for 80 per cent of people living in Nop Phi Tam district.

Meanwhile, Suthep, visiting victims in Krabi, inspected 168 homes built for victims, said he was worried about people distressed by the crisis after a Nakhon Si Thammarat teacher committed suicide by jumping into Tapi River on Friday after losing everything in the flood. The teacher's body was to be retrieved. So, the Mental Health Department had been asked to send officials to attend to people's morale.

Suthep also said clean water should be restored via the tap system in most flood-hit provinces within a day or two.

Krabi officials, meanwhile, found two bodies in separate locations.

A male body was discovered in a rubber plantation and later identified as 33-year-old Sitthiporn Thongniam, who was swept away in the March 29 landslide that hit Tambon Na Khao in Khao Phanom district. Now, only Sitthiporn's wife Piyanart remains missing.

The second body found was Thavorn Sukmeechai, 36, on the bank of the Krabi Yai Canal in Mueang Krabi district, after being swept away by a flood while riding a motorcycle on a bridge over the canal last week.

As the floodwater receded, many residents returned to their homes. There were only 300 people left at temporary shelters in Krabi. Officials sped up their work repairing roads and homes. They said they expected to complete 42 'knock-up' houses for Tambon Na Khao flood victims in one month.

Surat Thani deputy governor Wongsiri Phromchana said flood-hit farmers had until May 27 to report flood damage to farmland, fisheries or livestock to the district office to get assistance. The farmers can call 077-282953 for details.

In Trang's Mueang district, Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot gave 315 relief bags to victims in Tambon Na Ta Luang.

Meanwhile, the Government Saving Bank yesterday gave overdue Bt5,000-per-family assistance to those affected by flooding in Trang in November whose names were not confirmed for payment until recently. Officials said the related agencies were checking on others affected by this recent flood - their cases should be sent to the PM's Office by April 16.