PHUKET, Thailand – Severe landslides triggered by heavy overnight rainfall hit the Patong district in Thailand’s Phuket province, damaging homes and blocking roads. Torrential rains brought 148 millimeters of precipitation—reported as the highest in the country—causing mud, rocks, and debris to cascade down hillsides into Nanai Road in Patong’s Kathu district.
Patong’s deputy municipal mayor stated that the disaster has impacted roughly 70% to 80% of the area. Commercial buildings, apartments, and numerous vehicles parked along the streets were buried under thick mud and debris. “I have lived here for 30 years and have never seen anything this severe,” said one local property owner, describing how muddy floodwaters were quickly followed by a heavy flow of rocks and soil within minutes.
Authorities have deployed heavy machinery, including backhoes, to clear blocked routes—an operation expected to take one to two days. Emergency shelters and public service centers have been established at the Patong municipality office and Suwan Khiri Wong Temple to accommodate displaced residents. The Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office reported that 13 locations across Kathu district have been affected, with officials maintaining alerts in Muang and Thalang districts as intermittent rainfall continues. (TNA)
