BANGKOK, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's third largest but most frequented park on Friday announced a temporary closure due to flash flood and run-offs triggered by continuous rain.
Major Narin Pinsakul, chief of Khao Yai National Park, said the park, located in Thailand's North-East, had never seen serious flooding in and surrounding the park at this level in 15 years.
"Since the heavy rain began two days ago, very few patrons had entered the park. However due to security reason, we will have to temporarily close the gates to visitors until the flood water subsides," Narin said.
Heavy rain over the past two days has swollen the Lamtakong River, inundating the park's tourist service center and causing the mudslides, said the park chief.
He said that several large trees had been uprooted and fallen onto the roads from the Noen Hom and Pak Chong sides, making them impassable to all vehicles, and officials were trying to clear the obstructions which may take as long as three days.
"We also saw the collapse of six or seven utility poles," Narin said, adding that park rangers had been on 24-hour alert at Haew Suwat Waterfall to prevent elephants from falling into the steep waterfall.
The Thai Meteorological Department on Friday issued its 13th announcement on the strong low pressure cell, which is currently moving across the southern region toward the Andaman Sea, forecasting heavy and isolated very heavy rain in the southern, central, eastern and lower northeastern regions.
Hard-hit provinces on Friday included Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin and Si Sa Ket in the Northeast, the entire central region, the eastern provinces of Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Burin, Chachoengsao, Sa Kaew, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat and the southern provinces of Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Rayong, Phang-nga, Krabi, Satun and Phuket.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday instructed the military, the Ministry of Interior and the Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation agencies to be prepared to evacuate residents out of the areas where floods continued to rise. Enditem
