Published on November 30, 2008
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/ ... ord=floodsSome 15,000 people have been treated for various ailments as a result of flooding in the Southern region, Public Health Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said yesterday.
He said that from November 9 to 28, mobile medical units had treated 15,000 patients, mostly for Hong Kong Foot and rashes, followed by flu. Some 1,000 others received treatment for stress and insomnia.
The ministry has spent Bt5 million to assist the victims. It has also sent 50,000 first-aid kits and 15,000 tubes of Hong Kong Foot medicine to local health offices.
The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) Region 4 provided food, manpower, vehicles and barges to assist flood victims in the southern border provinces, including Narathiwat, where five districts were submerged, said Col Parinya Chaidilok, commander of the Information Operations Centre for the ISOC.
The severe flooding in these areas killed 14 people, who drowned in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The floods also destroyed some 315, 000 rai of crops, killed nearly 76,000 livestock and damaged 1,840 roads, bridges and weirs. Damage is initially estimated at about Bt350 million, said provincial governor Panu Uthairat.
The Pattani River has overflowed and flooded residential homes, and the districts of Yaring, Panare, Muang, Mai Kaen and Ma-Yor have been declared disaster zones.
In neighbouring Yala province local officials in Betong district were advised to be alert for flooding and landslides round the clock after days of heavy rain.
