Thailand's 48 provinces now hit by drought

Bangkok, May 1 (Xinhua-ANI): A total of 48 out of 77 provinces in Thailand have now been declared drought-hit areas, affecting people in 32,100 villages, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said on Tuesday, according to a report by the Bangkok Post online.

Of the total, 17 provinces are in the North: Kampaengpetch, Lampang, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Nan, Phayao, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Uttaradit, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Petchabun, Uthai Thani, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Mae Hong Son and Tak.

Nineteen provinces are in the Northeast: Loei, Nongkhai, Nong Bua Lamphu, Si Sa Ket, Khon Kaen, Amnatcharoen, Mahasarakham, Buri Ram, Udon Thani, Kalasin, Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Phanom, Surin, Mukdahan, Bueng Khan and Sakon Nakhon.

Five provinces in the Central Plains are affected: Petchaburi, Suphanburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi.

In the East, people in Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, Chonburi, Trat, Prachinburi and Nakhon Nayok provinces are affected.

Phuket is the only province in the South suffering from drought. (Xinhua-ANI)