Tropical Storm Pabuk hits southern Thailand's east coast
Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on southern Thailand’s east coast with heavy rain and strong winds, impacting local coastal villages and tourism resorts.
Locals clear the shoreline on Jan 4 in preparation for the approaching storm in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. (Source: CNN)
Bangkok (VNA) –Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on southern Thailand’s east coast with heavyrain and strong winds, impacting local coastal villages and tourism resorts.
According to the nationalmeteorological department, the storm – with maximum sustained winds of 70km perhour (kph) – hit the shore of Nakhon Si Thammarat province and headed westwardat 20kph.
The department also warnedlocal residents of heavy rain, flooding, and flash floods in the areathroughout the night of January 4.
Torrential rain and strongwinds were forecast to affect more than a dozen other provinces, includingNakon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani which are home to the tourist islands of KohSamui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao that are expected to be the hardest hit.
Earlier on January 4, thedepartment said that waves 3-5m high might be formed in the Gulf of Thailand onthe east coast, and 2-5m high in the Andaman Sea on the west coast. It recommendedall ships stay berthed on land throughout the next day.
Authorities in Nakhon SiThammarat, about 800km south of Bangkok, had urged locals to evacuate. Thaiauthorities suspended ferry services in the Gulf of Thailand and flights toNakhon Si Thammarat and Koh Samui were cancelled.
The storm is feared to be theworst to hit Thailand since 1989, when Typhoon Gay left more than 400 peopledead. –VNA
Tropical storm Pabuk, the first to hit the East Sea this year, is heading toward the Gulf of Thailand but is still expected to cause heavy rains in southern Vietnam.
Storm Pabuk brought big waves in waters offshore the southern province of Kien Giang, sinking dozens of boats in Tho Chau island commune, said the provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue.
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Locals clear the shoreline on Jan 4 in preparation for the approaching storm in Pak Phanang, in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat. (Source: CNN) 
