Thailand’s resort island of Phuket was placed on red alert on Wednesday as a tropical storm brought torrential rain, strong winds and flash flooding, disrupting flights and forcing the evacuation of low-lying areas, according to Thai meteorological and disaster authorities. The Thai Meteorological Department warned of heavy to very heavy rain across the south, with waves of up to three metres in the Andaman Sea. Authorities advised small boats to stay ashore and tourists to avoid beaches and flood-prone roads. Phuket International Airport reported delays and cancellations as airlines adjusted schedules, according to local media, and hotels in affected areas moved guests to higher floors as a precaution. The storm is the latest in a series of severe weather events to hit Southeast Asia this month, following Cyclone Arnab’s landfall in Bangladesh and deadly flooding in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Thai disaster officials said rescue teams were on standby and urged residents to follow official warnings. No deaths had been confirmed on Phuket at the time of reporting, though damage assessments were ongoing. The storm was expected to weaken as it moved inland, but heavy rain was forecast to continue into Thursday.
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