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A typical karst formation at a popular Krabi beach: villages sit beneath some

PHUKET REGION DISASTER: Shock Landslide, '1000 Missing' as Villages Disappear in Krabi

Wednesday, March 30, 2011
A LANDSLIDE on a Krabi hillside has reportedly buried eight villages, with ''up to 1000 people'' said to be missing. Krabi is popular with tourists at this time of the year.

Emergency services from Phuket and neighboring provinces were reported to be speeding to Krabi.

First reports said the landslide occurred at Khao Phanom, between Krabi Town and Surat Thani. The province, noted for Phi Phi and close to James Bond island in neighboring Phi Phi, sits on Thailand's Andaman coast.

A landslip at Klong-Yai yesterday was a portent of worse to come, blocking the road to Krabi airport for a time.

Many villages in Krabi perch under huge karsts, the limestone formations also known as stands that rise sheer up from ground level.

Unprecedented downpours have soaked Thailand's south over the past week, softening cliffs and hillsides and making them liable to move.

Rain is continuing, and meteorologists say the consistent pelting is unprecedented in recent history.

Widespread warnings of the potential for slips and slides have been sent out over the past few days.

Krabi, Phuket and Phang Nga all suffered when the December 26 2004 tsunami struck along the coast, killing 5400 residents and tourists. That was Thailand's worst natural disaster.

A Phuketwan reporting team is on the way. More reports as they come to hand.
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Comments

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Shocking disaster. I hope Thailand services can rescue them.

Posted by Tbs on March 30, 2011 11:03

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Where else is this devastating news reported? I would have thought other media would have had this featured prominently!!!

Posted by Alan on March 30, 2011 11:59

Editor Comment:

They are slower, Alan. I hope you understand that someone has to be first.

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Bangkok post report says 10 people missing, Phuket Wan says 1000...

Posted by Jamie on March 30, 2011 12:38

Editor Comment:

Let's not play games, Jamie. The actual number may be lower than 1000, (and we hope so) but that's what was being reported by emergency services this morning. I don't have time to muck around with readers who seem to have their own ideas about how to run websites. In three days, the others will have the precise figure, and be crowing about it. If you're not satisfied, do it yourself.

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Compliments to Phuket Wan for the best news updater among all three on Phuket :)

Terrible tragedy though. Speechless.

Posted by Hockey on March 30, 2011 13:04

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" I don't have time to muck around with readers " - seems that you do, as you just have to comment on almost every comment on this website!

Posted by Jame on March 30, 2011 14:23

Editor Comment:

Some mornings are busier than others. Some comments are more worthy than others. I know you're ''real'' enough. We're looking at a registration model than would at least require commenters to be as ''real'' as we can possibly ask for online.

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It seems you always get your facts wrong in your desperation to dramatize everything. Real journalists don't do that. See the Phuket Gazette's story, posted about an hour ago. No more desperation websites for me; I'll get my news from fully licensed newspapers with real journalists on board. Bye-bye.

Posted by Don Hanson on March 30, 2011 15:22

Editor Comment:

Bye, Don. Good luck.


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