BANGKOK, Dec 20, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Financial assistance and necessary supplies have been sent to Thailand's flood-stricken southern provinces to help local people cope with flash flood caused by heavy downpour over the past several weeks.
The Interior Ministry has allocated special budget for flood alleviation and relief operations in flood-wrecked provinces, Interior Minister Air Chief Marshal Kongsak Wanthana was quoted by Thai News Agency as saying on Tuesday while inspecting affected region.
The king of Thailand has sent 3,000 packs of necessary supplies to assist flood victims. Assistance centers have been set up by local authorities, the army and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), calling for public funds and necessary supplies to flood-ravaged region.
The Ministry of Public Health dispatched more than 20,000 sets of medical supply to people affected by flash flood.
Kongsak said he had instructed local officials to issue new warnings to southern residents for possible torrential rain and flooding over the next couple of days.
The Meteorological Department forecast that a new depression from the South China Sea was moving toward the southern region and would eventually enter the Gulf of Thailand on Dec. 20-22, causing continued rain in the region until Dec. 23.
The total flood loss in the south has yet been assessed, however, initial estimates found about 700,000 people of 180,000 families were affected by the floods, while more than 90,000 agricultural areas were damaged, said Kongsak.