Thailand, Landslide in Bo Kluea District, Nan Province

Eight people, were killed after a mudslide triggered by heavy downpours struck a village in Bo Klue district on Saturday morning, 29 July 2018. The landslide occurred at Ban Huay Khab in tambon Bo Klue Nua at around 7am. Soil loosened by heavy rains rushed down a nearby slope, burying the community in mud up to 10 metres deep in some areas. Officials from the local disaster prevention and mitigation office and soldiers from the 32nd Ranger Regiment rushed to the village. Col Rattana Pattanasophon, commander of the regiment’s task force, led the search for missing residents as the rain conntinued to fall. The slide resulted in the electricity in the area being cut off. Preecha Somchai, the chief of Bo Klue district, ordered the evacuation of all residents in the affected village. They were taken to a shelter set up at Sawa School in tambon Dong Phaya of the same district, about five kilometres from the site of the disaster. Heavy machinery and other equipment was deployed to the area as soldiers and rescue workers raced to dig out soil and clear fallen trees. Mr Preecha on Saturday evening declared the search operation over, and said authorities would meet to discuss the rehabilitation plan for the area. Officials remain on full alert as cracks have been found for a distance of 200 metres on the mountain above the community. This raised concern that there might be a new round of mudslides, he said. Narong Inso, head of the Nan disaster prevention and mitigation office, said more than 200 residents from 61 households had been left homeless from the landslide and all were evacuated. Authorities declared the Santisuk-Bo Klue route off-limits to vehicles. Only the Bua-Doi Phuka route to Bo Klue district remains accessible. The disaster site is neighboring with Lao PDR.