Highway 317, a pivotal link between the eastern province of Chanthaburi and Sa Kaew on the Cambodian frontier, has suffered from severe flooding, making navigation particularly challenging for smaller vehicles. This flooding is especially evident traversing through the Makham district region of the highway.
Authorities from the local area are urging motorists piloting larger vehicles to refrain from using this segment of the roadway, as flood levels remained significantly high during the time of reporting. Some sections of the road have been reduced to just one operable lane due to the floodwaters and long stretches of pooling water that extend up to 500 metres.
In response to these flood-stricken areas of Chanthaburi, additional resources including flat-bottomed boats and towering trucks have been deployed. These are operated by a contingent of rescue personnel, military officers, and defense volunteers, all doing their utmost to assist the inhabitants affected by the flooding.
Knicknamed ‘The City of Three Mists’, the northern province of Mae Hong Son, has not been spared from the relentless rainfall. On Friday night, a torrent of rain assailed the region continuously, leaving the districts of Pai, Pang Mapha, and Muang heavily flooded by Saturday, with broad expanses of farmland and plantations similarly waterlogged.
Senior meteorologist, Sunthorn Kanthamala, stationed in Mae Hong Son reported that the region experienced heavy rainfall from Friday evening until the early hours of Saturday. The fall was recorded at 65.8mm, markedly surpassing regular levels. The monsoon-like downpours led to the Mae Hong Son river breaching its banks, precipitating flash floods.
Particularly affected was the Pai River, the province’s primary watercourse, which had risen by 1.9 metres by Saturday. The river is projected to continue its ascent due to the influx of water from its tributaries.
A vast stretch of farming plantation land, encompassing at least 200 rai (32 hectares), across various regions of Mae Hong Son is now submerged due to the inundation.
Gods are furious