A Phuketwan reporter in downtown Phuket City said today that major canals in Phuket's capital were full to overflowing and some parts of the Phuket Town area had already succumbed to major flooding. A heavy storm in the afternoon did the damage.


PHUKET: Police declared Patong's one-way loop open to two-way traffic and called up volunteers as Phuket coped with extraordinary torrents in extraorinary ways today.

Torrents of water lashed the holiday island today - with major flooding reported all over Phuket, especially in downtown Phuket City and Patong.

And the forecast is for more storms between now and next Wednesday.

There were brief interludes between the long bursts of storms and strong wind gusts, but it seemed at times as though Phuket was destined for a 40-day deluge.

Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha called for special caution in areas of landslip risk and small boats were again warned not to put to sea.

Floods brought traffic chaos and toppling trees brought down powerlines, plunging some districts of Phuket City into darkness for the second time in two days.

In Patong, the drains have been enlarged to cope with most normal flooding but today's drenching left police with no choice except to make the one-way a two-way - and to throw reserve volunteers into the streets to manage the chaos.

Kathu Police Station Superintendent Colonel Sermphan Sirikong said the two-way would stay in place for the duration of the flooding.

A large tree that toppled near Tourist Police headquarters in Yaowarat Road, Phuket City, brought emergency electricity workers out in force to repair the damage, as they have been doing for days in storm after storm.

A risk warning is in place for Phuket, Ranong, Phang Nga and five other southern provinces being affected by the severe monsoon trough.