Tropical storm Muifa was bearing down on some southern Thailand provinces and expected to batter the region late Thursday night, the government's weather service said. The powerful storm was aiming to first hit the provinces of Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat on the eastern coast with strong winds, high waves and heavy rains. The Meteorological Department issued a warning Thursday for area residents to expect a highly destructive storm and to evacuate in some areas. Muifa has been downgraded from a typhoon since entering over the Gulf of Thailand, but officials said they expected damage from winds and flooding to be severe. Some parts of the gulf's islands could become submerged, officials warned. The targeted region also includes some of the country's popular tourist destinations for Thais and foreigners. Local media reports said thousands of tourists were evacuating Thursday. Officials were hoping to avoid panic in the advent of the storm. In the Philippines, officials said Muifa killed at least 61 people and left 80 others - mostly fishermen caught at sea - still missing.
