The Meteorological Department (TMD) has warned people in the Northeast, the East and the Central regions of heavy rain as Tropical Storm Sonca hits Thailand on Saturday.
The department announced on Friday that the storm will bring heavy rain and strong winds to several provinces in the Northeast including Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen, Buri Ram, Sri Sa Ket, Surin, and Ubon Ratchathani.
The TMD also warned of flash floods in mountainous areas.
For provinces along the Gulf of Thailand, the agency forecast warnings of rainfall and high waves of up to two metres. Due to the storm, small fishing boats are not recommended to set sail in the coming days.
The weather forecaster also issued a water situation warning in the southern region, as the South is expected to experience heavy rain from Sunday until next Thursday due to a low-pressure front.
The northern part of Thailand, meanwhile, will also see cooler weather as high-pressure air in the South China Sea will cover the region, causing temperatures to drop in the morning, according to the TMD's daily forecast.
Assoc Prof Seree Supratid, director of the Climate Change and Disaster Centre at Rangsit University, posted on his Facebook that this depression might worsen the northeastern flood situation and warned of a high level of water in dams and reservoirs across the region.
He said that the rain would increase in intensity on Saturday and would also impact Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, and Nonthaburi.
More water from the upstream rivers in the North will increase the level of water in the Chao Phraya River, especially in Nakorn Sawan, making the flood situation in this area a cause for concern, he said.
According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, 28 provinces in the Northeast, Lower North and Central regions are still affected by floods.
The department said on Friday that the flooding was caused by monsoons and the passage of storm Noru last week.
Floodwaters affected 324,256 families, among them 242,210 families in 13 provinces in the Central Plains including Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, and Pathum Thani and 65,029 households in 12 northeastern provinces.
"Flood levels are tending to rise in some provinces in the Northeast and the Central provinces," the department said.
