The heaviest rainfall was recorded overnight and continued through the morning, with Phuket Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum confirming that up to 134mm of rain had fallen across the island’s three districts.
Flooding was reported on major roads in Phuket Town, Patong and Kathu, with water covering road surfaces and slowing traffic at numerous locations.
Among the worst-hit areas in Phuket Town were the Chartered Bank intersection on Phang Nga Rd, Surin Circle, Tha Kraeng Intersection, Dibuk Rd, Samkong, Koh Kaew and Ratsada. Flooding was also reported on roads near Wat Chalong and along the Patong-Karon route.
At Tha Kraeng intersection, authorities temporarily closed the road after floodwater made it impassable to vehicles.
The flooding was blamed on a combination of intense rainfall and high tide, which slowed the discharge of stormwater into the sea through Bang Yai Canal, causing drainage systems to overflow onto roads in low-lying areas.
At about 12:30pm, Governor Chotinrin inspected flooding in Phuket Old Town, where around 20 centimetres of water covered roads near the Charter Bank intersection.
Municipal workers operated pumping stations at full capacity while additional pumps and heavy machinery were dispatched to flood-prone areas, including Koh Kaew, Ratsada and the grounds of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) station, which serves as a major water retention area before runoff enters Bang Yai Canal.
Provincial officials also ordered emergency teams to clear water hyacinth and other obstructions from canals to improve drainage as more rain is forecast.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) issued an emergency Cell Broadcast warning to residents in Phuket City Municipality, advising people to move valuables to higher ground, relocate vehicles and monitor official announcements as heavy rain and high tides continued to hamper drainage.
Phuket City Municipality also distributed sandbags to residents in vulnerable areas and urged people to report flooding through its emergency hotline.
Governor Chotinrin said authorities expected floodwaters to begin receding after 5pm, provided rainfall eased and tides did not rise further.
He also ordered district offices and local authorities across Phuket to remain on high alert through Saturday (July 3), with personnel, machinery and emergency equipment on standby around the clock to respond to further flooding.
Meanwhile, traffic police responding to flooding in Phuket Old Town encountered an unusual hazard.
At about 10:40am, officers inspecting traffic conditions at the Charter Bank intersection discovered a python about two metres long slithering across the middle of the junction.
Police used a snake-catching pole and rope snare to safely capture the reptile, a process that took about 34 minutes, before releasing it back into a suitable natural habitat away from populated areas.
Despite flooding elsewhere in Phuket Town, police confirmed the Chartered Bank intersection itself remained free of standing water and traffic continued to flow normally while the snake was being removed.
The Thai Meteorological Department has forecast continued heavy to very heavy rain across Phuket and Thailand’s Andaman coast through the coming days as a strong southwest monsoon continues to affect the region.
Authorities have urged motorists to beware flooded roads where possible and residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas to closely monitor official weather and flood warnings.
Additional reportnig by Eakkapop Thongtub