Floods, blackouts after Thai storm, but tourist islands spared

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, Thailand: Floods and blackouts caused by Tropical Storm Pabuk left nearly 30,000 people in evacuation shelters across southern Thailand Saturday, as relieved tourists stranded on islands further north were spared the worst and began to plot routes home.

Pabuk, a once in three-decades weather system, packed winds of up to 75 kilometers (45 miles) an hour and brought heavy rains and storm surges as it lashed the entire south of the kingdom on Friday, downing power cables and causing widespread flooding.