9 killed in landslide in Thailand

Bangkok, Aug 23 Nine people were killed and several others were reported missing in a landslide triggered by heavy rain on Thailand's southern resort island of Phuket on Friday, authorities said.

Nearly 200 mm of rainfall recorded overnight led to a landslide and flooding in several areas of Phuket province, causing damage to at least 250 households, according to a local public relations office.

In a statement, caretaker Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul directed disaster response and local government agencies to ensure timely dissemination of critical information regarding weather conditions, risky areas, and safety guidelines, while advising the public to avoid areas at risk of landslides, flash floods, and other hazards during this period of heavy rainfall, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, residents in 43 provinces across Thailand are urged to be vigilant for flash floods, landslides, and overflow from reservoirs and riverbanks from Saturday until August 30, while officials have been instructed to stand ready in case of emergencies.

Thailand has been struck by heavy monsoon rains over the last week, largely affecting the country's southern coast and areas in the north.

The resultant flooding has killed five people over the past month and injured 32 others, according to the Health Ministry.

In Phuket, military personnel, volunteer groups and police have been deployed to find any other victims, but forecast heavy rain could hamper the operation, said local police chief Khundech Na Nongkhai.

While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains, man-made climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.

Widespread flooding across Thailand in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes around the country.

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