Strong Andaman Islands earthquake leaves Thai dams unaffected

PHUKET, Aug 11 (TNA) – A 7.5 magnitude earthquake which struck in the Bay of Bengal off India’s remote Andaman Islands early Tuesday has not affected Thailand, according to the director of Thailand’s Srinakarind Dam, following fears expressed by local residents regarding possible dam structural failures, and consequent flooding.

Dam director Kitti Tancharoen said seismographs installed at the Srinakarind and Vajiralongkorn dams did not detect the tremor which hit the Andaman Islands early Tuesday as the epicentre was far from Thailand.

Mr Kitti told local residents not to worry about the structural capacity of the dam, as he affirmed that both dams in Kanchanaburi province are still strong enough to resist natural disaster.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre of the US National Weather Service earlier issued a tsunami alert for the countries of Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Myanmar and Thailand as soon as the quake struck, but the warning was later cancelled.

Chotenarin Kerdsom, head of Phuket’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said although the Thai resort has not been affected by the quake, local officials have been assigned to keep a close watch at sea level around the island.

“Until now, the sea level remains normal,” said Mr Chotenarin, “Local residents and tourists are still enjoying their holidays along the popular Patong beach.”

Mr Chotenarin said that Phuket province is well-prepared to handle earthquakes and possible tsunamis. Tsunami warning drills will be carried out next Friday in the six Andaman coastal provinces; Phuket, Krabi, Ranong, Phangnga, Trang and Satun.

Thailand’s Andaman provinces are among those hit by the tsunami triggered by the quake which struck off the northern Indonesian province of Aceh on December 26, 2004. The 2004 tsunami killed more than 220,000 people, with some thousands of them, including foreign holidaymakers, being lost  in Thailand. (TNA)