Russian couple among 5 killed in landslide caused by heavy rain on Thai holiday island Phuket

A Russian couple on vacation were among the dead, local police chief Khundech Na Nongkhai told AFP, adding that officers were working to identify the other victims.

“Heavy rain which began at 2:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) last night caused a landslide that damaged homes. Those living in the area were caught off guard,” Khundech said.

He said the landslide slammed into a residential area of the island, where hotels and rented apartments are located.

Thailand has been struck by heavy monsoon rains over the last week, largely affecting the country’s southern coast and areas in the north.

The resultant flooding has killed five people over the past month and injured 32 others, according to the health ministry.

In Phuket, military personnel, volunteer groups and police have been deployed to find any other victims, but forecast heavy rain could hamper the operation, Khundech said.

While Thailand experiences annual monsoon rains, man-made climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.

Widespread flooding across Thailand in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes around the country.