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Wet Wet Wet

SURAT THANI: -- Flooding hit the southernprovince of Surat Thani, including the tourist island of Samui, even as Bangkok, the capital, braces for the peak level of the Chao Phraya River next Sunday.

In the southern province of Surat Thani, the Tapi River has risen to 5.21 metres, one metre above the crisis level. The overflowing river has inundated houses in Phrasaeng district, according to the head of the local meteorological center.

Floodwaters are 1-1.5 metres deep and the water level is likely to increase due to continuing rain.

On the tourist island of Samui, downpours in the past few days have caused floods on a portion of the ring roads encircling the island. However, the municipality can drain water from areas near tourist beaches -- Chaweng and Lamai beaches -- so there are no flood problems there.

Local officials are closely watching the situation and have issued warnings of possible landslides in disaster prone areas.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Bannasophit Mekwichai warned that the water level in the Chao Phraya River will reach 1.75 metres at 4.30pm, which will affect people living outside the the municipality's flood walls.

Moreover, she said the Chao Phraya River will peak at 1.90-2 metres on Sunday, so residents should move belongings and electrical plugs and sockets to higher ground.

The Department of Drainage and Sewerage built footbridges in flood-prone areas and sandbag embankments are reinforced to be able to withstand water levels as high as 2.5 metres.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Prat Boonyawongvirot said 50 medical mobile units have provided service to flood-hit areas in 15 provinces for almost two weeks.

The number of patients suffering from water-borne diseases was recorded at 40,218 persons, with athlete's foot, fever, rashes, and insomnia cases holding the first four places.

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