PHUKET: Flight services in Phuket airport were disrupted from 7 AM on June 30 as a result of persistent rain in this tourist island province that caused flooding and brought day-to-day activities to a standstill.
Phuket's airport director informed that around 10 incoming flights had to be diverted to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports as well as airports in Krabi, Langkawi, Penang and Surat Thani as the runway was not visible to the pilots.
During the same period, four outbound domestic flights could not take off from Phuket airport because they were waiting for passengers on the delayed incoming flights.
After some time, the airport director further informed about the resumption in flight services at Phuket airport from 10.04 AM on June 30 due to improved visibility, adding that the airport was not flooded in the heavy downpour.
Notably, incessant rain caused heavy flooding throughout Phuket with deep floodwater reported in the northern part of the island's Thalang district.
The situation remains tense as the natural calamity has left behind a trail of destruction. Roads have been submerged and several properties have been damaged in the affected areas.
Persistent rain could trigger further flooding in low-lying areas near rivers, streams, and creeks. There is also a possibility of flooding in developed areas as the threat of drainage systems getting overwhelmed looms large.
Sites located downstream from large reservoirs or rivers may be susceptible to flash floods after relatively short periods of intense rainfall.
Moreover, there is also the likelihood of landslides in hilly or mountainous areas, especially where heavy rain saturates the surface. Electricity and telecommunications services might also get disrupted due to it.
Meanwhile, concerned authorities could issue mandatory evacuation orders for the vulnerable flood-prone communities in the coming days if the situation gets further deteriorated.
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