Bangkok, Sep 13 (EFE).- Thai authorities Friday raised the death toll from recent floods to 10, as the tropical storm Yagi wreaked havoc on 73,400 families mainly in the north of the country, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra traveled.
The floods have affected 27 provinces, mainly the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, important destinations for travelers, although the Tourism Authority of Thailand said Thursday that the floods have not caused problems in the most touristic areas.
The prime minister visited the town of Mae Sai in Chiang Rai province, which has suffered severe flooding, considered the worst in decades in the area.
At least four people were killed and two injured in Chiang Rai, as well as 43,329 families affected, while in Chiang Mai the figures rose to six dead, three injured and 14,216 families affected, according to data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Other provinces affected by the floods are Sukkhothai, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun, while Ang Thong and Ayutthaya, in the central area, have been flooded in some areas by the overflow of the Chao Phraya River.
Chiang Rai International Airport resumed flights Friday, after canceling its activity Thursday, while the army continues to collaborate with the rescue and evacuation tasks of residents, sometimes by boat or helped by jet skis in the most flooded areas.
Despite the improvement in the north, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation issued an alert for the risk of heavy rains in the coming days in 45 provinces of the country from north to south, including tourist areas such as the island of Phuket and the province of Krabi.
Millions of people are affected by the storm in Southeast Asia, mainly in Vietnam, hit by Typhoon Yagi last weekend after passing through the Philippines and China.
Yagi, which became a tropical depression Sunday, has also caused havoc in Myanmar. EFE
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