Landslides kill 9 people in Thailand

Nine people died and six are missing in landslides, drowning and other storm- and flood-related incidents in Thailand''s North and Northeast, as the number of flood-hit provinces rose to 17, according to Public Health Ministry''s deputy permanent secretary Dr Narong Sahamethapat. The northern province of Mae Hong Son recorded the highest number of deaths with three people, two of them boys, dying in landslides triggered by incessant downpours in Sop Moei district, Thai (MCOT) news reported. Chiang Mai has registered two more deaths, while Sukhothai, Sakon Nakhon, Phrae and Udon Thani provinces have one death each. There are 7,000 patients with water-borne diseases such as athlete''s foot and colds, Dr Narong said, adding that 79,000 sets of medicine have been distributed to them. Flooding also affected ten local hospitals and one disease-control centre in Chiang Mai''s Bosang district, the senior health ministry official said, adding that they remain open for services.