Phuket floods: 490 households hit as Karon declared a disaster area

Flooding in Phuket has affected 490 households, Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) said, in figures based on data collected up to 6am on 30 October. The flooding hit the island’s Mueang and Kathu districts, covering 10 subdistricts and 18 villages.

The same official count put the wider toll across three southern provinces at 1,283 households: 600 in Chumphon, 193 in Satun and 490 in Phuket. The department said water levels were falling in all three provinces.

Phuket’s governor, Chotinarin Kerdsom, declared four villages in Karon subdistrict a disaster area after days of severe flooding, in an announcement dated 29 October and reported on 30 October. It followed fresh flooding on 28 and 29 October, when more than 15 hours of rain sent muddy water through streets in Karon, Kata, Chalong, Rawai and Phuket Town, and evacuations in Karon over landslide risks. Phuket Town also issued a red-level alert for residents near the Bang Yai Canal.

No injuries among tourists had been reported, Tourism and Sports Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul said, with tourist police deployed to help visitors. As of 30 October, Phuket residents had registered 236 claims under the national disaster insurance programme, Thai PBS reported on 31 October.

Why it matters

Phuket is one of Thailand’s most visited islands, and the floods struck during the rainy season’s heaviest weeks. The flooding kept returning — Patong was hit by flash floods and landslides on 26 October, then again on 28 October — showing how quickly saturated hillsides can turn heavy rain into street flooding and debris flows. The disaster-area declaration for Karon unlocks emergency help for the worst-hit villages, while tourist areas are still operating, though roads and low-lying areas remain at risk while the rain continues.

What happens next

Thailand’s Meteorological Department forecast further rain from 31 October into 1 November, with thundershowers over about 60% of the southern coasts, including Phuket. Officials have warned that heavy or accumulated rain could still cause flash floods and run-off, especially on hillsides, near waterways and in low-lying areas. Residents are being told to watch official warnings, avoid flooded roads and landslide-prone slopes, and move belongings to higher ground if water rises, while disaster officials continue damage assessments and recovery work where water has receded.

Sources

• https://www.rawai.com/southern-thailand-including-phuket-faces-heavy-rain-and-flash-flood-risk-on/ (Rawai, 31 October 2026)
• https://www.rawai.com/phuket-designates-four-karon-villages-as-flood-disaster-area/ (Rawai, 30 October 2026)
• https://www.thailandnewsgazette.com/heavy-rainfall-causes-flooding-in-phuket-affecting-tourist-areas/ (Thailand News Gazette, 29 October 2026)

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.