Thai flood death toll hits 269
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Xinhua, October 11, 2011
A total of 269 people were confirmed dead and four people were missing in the floods that have inundated the upper part of the country for almost three months, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Tuesday.
Northern province of Phichit still has the highest death toll of 41 people, followed by central province of Nakhon Sawan, of which 30 people killed by flood.
Flash floods and mudslide were caused by the heavy monsoon since mid July.
Floods still prevail in 60 of 77 provinces, affecting about 2 million households and 8 million people.
Of 60 provinces hit by flood, the situation in 33 provinces, mostly in the northern and northeastern provinces, have slowly recovered, the report said, while the flood situation in central provinces, especially in Nakhon Sawan and Ayutthaya have been worsen.
About 50 main highways in many provinces are flooded and impassable and some north-bound train routes were cancelled. Also, All buses to the north were cancelled.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department announced on Tuesday that the current wet season will end about the middle of this month and a new storm being formed over the Philippines is not of concern.
Centrel Weather Forecast Division director Prawit Jaempanya said because of the monsoon there will still be some rain, about 40-50 m.m., in central provinces of Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Ratchaburi, Bangkok and nearby provinces, and eastern provinces of Rayong, Chon Buri, and Nakhon Nayok one or two days from now.
The rainy season will end at the middle of this month, he said.
"During this time there may be little to moderate rain and possibly heavy rain in these provinces. There will be no more rain after the end of the monsoon in mid-October, at the end of Buddhist Lent," Bangkok Post online quoted Prawit as saying.
Prawit said the Meteorological Department is not concerned about a new storm forming over the Philippines because it will be weakened by a cold wind from China.
