Phuket is preparing for heavy rain expected from today until next Monday, July 8. Officials are installing water pumps in canals and flood-prone areas.
However, residents complain that efforts to clear sediment and tree branches, which have obstructed roads and waterways since last week’s massive flooding, are progressing slowly.
“If the debris isn’t removed quickly, we’ll face more flooding this week.”
Phuket experienced around 330 millimetres of rainfall last week, leading to widespread flooding.
Weerapong Kerdsin, dean of the Faculty of Technology and Environment at Prince of Songkhla University’s Phuket campus, blamed the unusual rainfall and unregulated city expansion, which hampers water drainage into the sea.
He also noted that the loss of forest cover, which used to absorb rainwater, has worsened the flooding situation on the island.
When you overbuild for profit, this is exactly what happens. All of Phuket will suffer because of the greed of these builders deforesting Phuket.