By NNN-TNA,
Bangkok : Sixteen provinces, mostly in the North, are on alert for possible flash floods and mudslides as early as Saturday through Tuesday as tropical cyclone Nargis moves towards Thailand from Myanmar, according to a warning issued by Thailand’s Meteorlogical Department.
The announcement said cyclone Nargis at 4am Saturday was about 400 kilometers southwest of Thailand’s Myanmar border province of Mae Hong Son, northwest of Bangkok, moving at a speed of about 15 kilometres per hour.
Provinces in the North and Central regions are expected to have heavy rains through Tuesday, the weather department, warning that villagers in risk-prone areas of 16 provinces must be alert for possible flash floods and mudslides.
Waves in the Andaman Sea are anticipated to be high and small boats are advised to stay ashore, the announcement said.
Meanwhile, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation office in Lampang province in the north said it had instructed the agencies five offices in the North to closely track cyclone Nargis’ movements closely following heavy rains in the area in the past few days.