Prapan Kanprasang, Chief of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket), confirmed to The Phuket News that 12 homes were evacuated.
“Kathu District Chief Sayan Chanachaiyawong arranged for them to be moved to safety. We have received no reports of injuries from the landslide,” Mr Prapan said.
The landslide occurred at a villa construction site at 8:45am. Several of the two-story buildings under construction partially collapsed when the earth beneath them slid down the hillside after a retaining wall below gave way.
“Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong this morning urged us to take action in response to floods and landslides because the heavy downpours across Phuket. We are monitoring the situation and working with local DDPM units across the island,” he said.
Pa Khlok has also been heavily affected, Mr Prapan noted.
“We have dispatched three flat-bottomed boats for officers to provide assistance to residents there,” he said.
Phuket Highways Chief Papiwetwoottisak Sookkii confirmed to The Phuket News that traffic has been heavily affected island-wide.
“We are keeping a close eye on the flooding. So far none of the underpasses have been closed. They all remain open, but traffic is moving slowly,” he said.
“Please be careful driving on the roads today,” he added.
Meanwhile, Patong Police and Patong Municipality workers have cleared away debris from a landslip on the road to Kamala just north of the Kalim Intersection and the northern end of Patong Beach.
“The landslip occurred at 10:50am, blocking traffic from passing through the area,” one officer explained to The Phuket News.
“We have cleared all the dirt from the road and traffic is now moving freely,” he added.
Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot