What happened on 25-26 October 2026
25 October. Heavy rain from late morning flooded roads in three districts, Thalang, Mueang Phuket and Kathu. The outbound side of Thepkrasattri Road outside the Thai Watsadu store in Si Sunthon was too deep for small vehicles. Water was also reported in Pa Sak Soi 4/1 in Choeng Thale, low-lying parts of Rawai, at Ha Yaek Na Bon near Wat Tai in Chalong and on Phra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu (The Nation).
26 October, about 3:05 am. Water running off Khao 50 Pi hill carried rocks, soil and mud into the Nanai area of Patong, hardest around Makro Nanai, damaging homes, shops and cars. In the 24 hours to about 1-2 am, Phuket’s water-monitoring gauges recorded:
| Gauge | Rain in 24 hours, mm |
|---|---|
| Ban Na Yai | 117.0 |
| Bang Neaw Dum Reservoir | 94.4 |
| Rawai | 93.2 |
| Bang Wad Dam | 88.2 |
Source: The Nation, 26 October 2026.
26 October, evening. The deputy government spokesperson said more than 100 households and businesses were affected, with no deaths. Most areas were back to normal; mud and debris remained in Soi Na Nai 5 and Soi Na Nai 8 in Patong and in parts of Kathu, where crews with backhoes, dump trucks and water trucks were clearing the roads. Some Thai and foreign tourists stayed in Patong hotels, and the province asked them to stay until it was safe to leave (Thairath, in Thai).
Warnings in force
| Who | Period | What |
|---|---|---|
| Phuket governor, provincial announcement | 26-28 October 2026 | floods, mud and rock slides, strong waves and wind |
| Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) | 25-28 October 2026 | heavy to very heavy rain in the south, flash floods in foothills and low-lying areas |
| Thai government spokesperson | 26-30 October 2026 | continued heavy rain, flooding and landslide risk |
The governor’s announcement asks residents and tourists to avoid flooded roads and slide-prone routes, park in safe places, stay out of the sea while waves are strong, keep food, water and medicine in reserve and report danger to officials (Thai Post, in Thai). Hotlines in the announcement: 1784 for disaster safety and 1567 for the Damrong Dharma Center.
How to check the situation yourself
- Rain right now: the TMD Phuket weather radar covers 240 km around the island
- Forecast: TMD forecast for the southern west coast, which covers Phuket, and the 7-day forecast
- Warnings: TMD warnings page and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), hotline 1784
- Flights: check the status with your airline before you leave for the airport. We found no reports of airport disruption on 25-26 October 2026
We found no official public map of flood-prone areas in Phuket. The list of streets above comes from news reports of this event.
Why Phuket floods so fast
Phuket is hilly, and short, intense downpours run straight off the slopes into the streets below. That is what happened in Patong on 26 October, when water off Khao 50 Pi hill reached the Nanai area. It does not take record rain: in the 1991-2020 normals the highest one-day total was 180.7 mm at the Phuket town station (in October) and 211.9 mm at the airport (in August), while 117 mm in 24 hours was enough to flood Patong.
| Phuket town station, TMD 1991-2020 | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average rain, mm | 350.4 | 336.0 | 178.2 | 82.0 |
| Rain days | 21.7 | 22.7 | 15.9 | 10.3 |
| Highest one-day total, mm | 152.8 | 180.7 | 92.9 | 123.0 |
Single months can be far above normal. In May 2026 the Phuket station recorded 464.9 mm against a normal of about 237 mm, and parts of the island flooded on 18-20 May (TMD). The full monthly table is on the Phuket climate page.
Koh Samui on the other coast has its wettest month in November (444.6 mm), when Phuket’s rain is already easing: see Koh Samui weather.
Flood or tsunami
When people search for “the Phuket flood of 2004” they usually mean the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004. It was a different hazard: UN country team figures from June 2005 put Thailand’s toll at 5,395 dead and 2,817 missing (ADRC). Patong now has a tsunami warning system and evacuation drills. Rain floods like those of October 2026 come from monsoon downpours and have no link to tsunamis.
We update this page while warnings are in force. Checked on 26 October 2026, 21:30 Bangkok time.
FAQ
Is Phuket flooded right now?
As of the evening of 26 October 2026, mostly not: the government spokesperson said most affected areas were back to normal. Mud, wood and rocks were still being cleared in Soi Na Nai 5 and Soi Na Nai 8 in Patong and in parts of Kathu, with standing water in places. Heavy rain is forecast until 28-30 October, so streets can flood again within hours. For the current picture, check the TMD radar for Phuket and official announcements.
Which areas of Phuket flood?
On 25-26 October 2026 reports named the Nanai area of Patong below Khao 50 Pi hill, Thepkrasattri Road outside Thai Watsadu in Si Sunthon, Pa Sak Soi 4/1 in Choeng Thale, low-lying parts of Rawai, Ha Yaek Na Bon near Wat Tai in Chalong, and Phra Phuket Kaew Road in Kathu. In May 2026 parts of the island flooded on 18-20 May. We found no official public flood-risk map for Phuket, so treat this as a list of reported spots, not a map.
Is it safe to travel to Phuket now?
The flooding on 25-26 October was local and short, and most areas cleared within a day, but warnings run until 28-30 October. If you are on the island, avoid hillside roads and streets with mud or water of unknown depth, and stay out of the sea while the waves are strong. Some tourists stayed in Patong hotels until it was safe to leave; the province asked the Thai Hotels Association Phuket chapter to look after them. Check your flight with the airline before leaving for the airport.
When is flood season in Phuket?
Flooding comes with the southwest monsoon, May to October, and the TMD 1991-2020 normals make September (350.4 mm) and October (336.0 mm) the wettest months at the Phuket town station. November is a transition month with 178.2 mm. A single downpour does the damage: the highest one-day total at the town station in 1991-2020 was 180.7 mm, in October.
What should I do in a flash flood in Phuket?
Follow the governor's instructions: do not drive or walk through flooded roads or routes at risk of mud and rock slides, park on higher ground, keep drinking water, food and medicine for a few days, and report danger to officials. DDPM also warns about electric shock in floodwater. Hotlines: 1784 for disasters, 1155 for the Tourist Police, 1669 for an ambulance.
Was the 2004 Phuket disaster a flood?
No, it was the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004, not a rain flood. UN country team figures from June 2005 put Thailand's toll at 5,395 dead and 2,817 missing. Patong now has a tsunami warning system and evacuation drills. Rain floods are a different hazard: they come from downpours in the monsoon season.
Sources
- The Nation. Phuket homes flooded as 24-hour rain hits 117mm on Oct 26 (26 October 2026)
- The Nation. Phuket flooding disrupts travel in 3 districts on October 25 (25 October 2026)
- Thairath. Phuket flooding affects 100 households, no deaths, heavy rain warning 26-30 October (26 October 2026, Thai)
- Thai Post. Phuket Provincial Announcement on flood, landslide and strong-wave preparedness (26 October 2026, Thai)
- MGR Online. DDPM warning for Phuket: flash floods and landslides (26 October 2026, Thai)
- TMD. Climatological Data of Thailand for 30 Year Period (1991-2020), printed pages 82-83
- TMD. Monthly Climate Summary, May 2026
- TMD. Phuket weather radar, 240 km
- TMD. Weather warnings
- ADRC. Thailand: Tsunami 2004/12/26 (GLIDE TS-2004-000147-THA), UNCT and OCHA figures
Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.