2019

Flash Floods Hit Koh Chang

Flash floods hit Koh Chang

On 15 September torrential rain resulted in flash floods across the island.  These damaged numerous homes and businesses mainly in the Klong Prao, Chai Chet and Kai Bae areas.   There weren’t any human fatalities but one elephant drowned. 

16 September morning: The rain is still ongoing.  The main road bridge on the west coast of the island is only passable on foot or on scooter. Apparently it will be repaired soon.   But at present vehicles cannot travel from the north to the south of the island. Electricity is still off south of Kai Bae. Beaches are covered in debris.

Once the rain stops the clean up will begin and things will get cleaned up and back to relative normality within a week or so.   A similar thing occurred in September 2014, but this time was worse.

16 September afternoon: The rain stopped mid afternoon, the clouds cleared and the sun came out. Work started of clearing up. The worst affected beach is the northern half of Klong Prao beach. The video at the bottom of the page shows debris that was washed down the river and ended up on the beach. ( White Sand beach is fine. Some garbage and plastic on the beach but nothing that can’t be cleared in a day. )

17 September: Work began clearing debris and mud out of homes near Klong Plu waterfall which was the worst affected area. Rescue teams recovered numerous missing bikes, cars and boats. Electricity was restored to the south of the island.  Getting essential items for cooking and sleeping to those who had lost everything began.

18 September: Cleaning up the beaches began.  And a major clean up for 3 days from 20 – 22 September was announced. According to the local government around 40 – 50 homes were badly damaged, over 100 motorbikes and scooters were washed away, along with three vehicles ( One of which is still in the river and unable to be retrieved at the moment ). And in the past 3 days 500 people have registered to receive assistance.

20 September: Start of the big beach cleanup

25 September:  Some beaches are pretty much back to normal.  Others still require a lot of work.  The north end of Klong Prao beach is being cleared.  But the south, especially just north of Barali Resort still has a lot of debris on it. 

3 October: The weather has been mostly hot and sunny for the past two weeks.  The beaches are back to normal.  Just some debris still washing up near the south end of Klong Prao beach.   No problems with transport or getting around the island.  Shops and restaurants now reopening and getting ready for high season. Although there’s still a lot of work to do to repair houses that were damaged. 

26 – 27 October.  The Islander two day music festival took place on Klong Prao beach as a celebration of the islanders working together to get Koh Chang back to normal after the floods.

Videos from 15 September

The river outside our guesthouse.

Whose boat is this?

Posted by iamKohChang.com on Saturday, September 14, 2019

Repairs on the bridge in Klong Prao.  The makeshift footbridge has been widened so scooters can now cross. 

Vehicles & scooters can't use the bridge now as there's nothing supporting a few meters of tarmac. On the plus side there's a new footbridge.

Posted by iamKohChang.com on Sunday, September 15, 2019

The main road in Chai Chet – just north of White Sand beach

Posted by Janthawang Supat on Saturday, September 14, 2019

The main road in the centre of Kai Bae village

Posted by ปิดทำการ ไม่มี กำหนด on Saturday, September 14, 2019

 

Photos from 15 September:  

Some from myself, others posted on Facebook by people living on the island.

16 September

Mid afternoon on 16 September the rain stopped and the clouds started to clear. The aftermath . . .

The aftermath. Klong Prao beach.

Posted by iamKohChang.com on Monday, September 16, 2019

Photos of the worst affected beach. the stretch between the river estuary north to Chai Chet Resort

And this is the most badly damaged area, on the road to Klong Plu waterfall.  Most homes in this area were either badly damaged or destroyed and many people lost all their possessions when the flash flood hit the area.

17 September

The road bridge was repaired and electricity restored to the south of the island where it had been off for two days.  The rescue teams began recovering boats, motorbikes and vehicles that had been washed away. Most of the relief effort was concentrated around Klong Plu waterfall.

Food and water was donated for the victims and the rescuers by locals and businesses on the island.  People who needed essential items for cooking / sleeping etc could leave lists at a local supermarket and anyone wanting to make a donation could go and pay for them.  Ensuring money went direct to people who needed it.  There was still some rain and more landslides in the south of the island. 

18 September

Cleaning White Sand beach and on the southern section of Klong Prao beach began. Almost 1,000kg of plastic and garbage was removed by 30 Trash Hero volunteers. A three day clean up, from 20 – 22 September,  to move the estimated 10+ tons of garbage and debris from the north end of the beach, was announced. 

20 September

Trash Hero plus local government, Thai Navy, national Park staff and volunteers from elsewhere in Thailand, began cleaning the beaches.  The focus was picking out plastic and metal waste.  Once this is done heavy machinery can collect the natural debris.

หาดไชยเชษ

Posted by Sao Thanwalai on Thursday, September 19, 2019

24 September

This is the far north end of Klong Prao beach that was the worst affected.  Backhoes and trucks have been working for several days.  

Lovely sunny morning. Blue sky & calm sea.The north end of Klong Prao beach is still being cleaned by heavy machinery. But 80 – 90% of the debris removed now.

Posted by iamKohChang.com on Monday, September 23, 2019

26 – 27 October

Islander Festival.  A free, two day event of live music from local bands and DJs to celebrate the island recovering from the flood and being ready for high season.

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Posted by หาเรื่องชิลล์ on Saturday, October 26, 2019

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Koh Chang Island Guide For Independent Travellers