Phuket flood pumps inspected as heavy rain warning issued

Deputy Interior Minister Worasit Liangprasit inspected Phuket’s flood defences on October 12 as authorities prepared for possible flash floods and landslides, with officials reporting combined pumping capacity of more than 70,000 cubic metres per hour.

Worasit joined a national disaster-prevention meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall before receiving a provincial briefing and inspecting drainage infrastructure with Phuket Governor Chotinarin Kerdsom.

At a facility on Takua Pa Road in Talat Yai, 12 pumps were operating, including 11 electric pumps and an engine-driven backup unit. The installation has a reported capacity of 27,144 cubic metres per hour and collects runoff from the eastern side of the island, including the Khao Kathu and Khao Phra Thaew areas.

The delegation also visited a floodgate near Phuket Polytechnic College on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Road. Its four electric pumps can each move three cubic metres of water per second, giving the installation a combined capacity of 43,200 cubic metres per hour.

Phuket Town Mayor Suppachoke La-ongphet proposed additional floodgates to improve local water management. Worasit instructed officials to prepare equipment, personnel and response plans, identify high-risk areas, and make arrangements for bedridden patients and other vulnerable people who might need assistance or evacuation.

The West Coast Southern Meteorological Center warned at 5am on October 12 of heavy to very heavy rain in parts of Phuket and several other southern provinces. It said a low-pressure trough over the upper South and a strengthening southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea could cause flash floods and forest runoff, especially in low-lying and other high-risk areas.

The centre said waves in the Andaman Sea were about two metres high and could exceed that level during thunderstorms. Mariners were urged to avoid stormy areas.

At the Phuket Smart Operation Center, officials reviewed rainfall data and forecasts. The provincial administration said response machinery had been positioned in high-risk areas, with backup power, emergency shelters and food supplies prepared. PhuketMet reported 141.4 millimetres of rain in October to October 12 and 1,801mm for the year.

Authorities urged residents and visitors to follow official announcements and avoid areas at risk of flooding or landslides. Boat operators were advised to check conditions before departing.