|
Thai flood death toll at 62
26/05/2006 19:10 - (SA)
Bangkok - The official death toll of this week's flash floods and mudslides in northern Thailand reached 62 on Friday, with another 53 listed as missing, presumed dead.
Heavy rains that started on Sunday triggered flash floods and mudslides in the five northern provinces of Lamphang, Nan, Phrae, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.
The Thai disaster relief agency has described the floods as the worst monsoon-wrought disaster in the area in six decades.
According to the official figures department of disaster prevention figures, the calamity has killed 62.
About 53 are missing, feared dead under piles of mud, logs and debris.
Uttaradit was the hardest hit province, accounting for 52 of the dead.
Emergency relief workers and 1 000 personnel from Thailand's army, navy and air force - on the instructions of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej - have been working around the clock to provide aid and search for the missing in the disaster zone.
The catastrophe has affected more than 121 000 people in the five provinces, destroyed 490 houses and washed away 80 roads, said Thai authorities.
Observers have blamed the catastrophe on deforestation, global warming and, more prosaically, unusually bad weather.
The unusually heavy rains caused rivers and reservoirs to overflow their banks.
- SAPA
|
News
