Authorities set up ‘war room’ as discharges through Chao Phraya Dam stepped up
Government bodies in Ayutthaya are bracing for huge discharges of water into the Chao Phraya River as the top of the rainy season approaches.
Ayutthaya governor Veerachai Nakmas was among those keeping close an eye on Thursday on water-measurement stations at riverside locations such as Siriyalai Palace, Wat Chaiwatthanaram and Wat Kasatrathirat Worawihan.
Also joining the monitoring effort were officials from the Devastation Prevention and Minimization Office and the provincial irrigation office, the interior Security Operations Command (Isoc) and the area chief of Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya.
The irrigation office offers gradually increased the amount of water discharged through the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat from 1, five hundred cubic metres per second (m³/s) to 1, 550 m³/s since Wednesday. As a result, drinking water levels in the Noi River in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district have risen about 10 centimetres.
Mister Veerachai said riverside residents were getting to be affected, with some locations already submerged. He has instructed authorities to examine risk-prone areas which includes historical sites, temples or wats, economic zones, industrial estates and nearby communities.
Communities in 5 districts were inundated by overflows through the Chao Phraya plus Noi rivers and their tributaries after more water has been discharged from the Chao Phraya Dam last weekend.
Authorities have setup a war space to monitor the situation 24 / 7 and provide prompt notices. Anyone affected by surges can contact them via the 1784 servicenummer.
By today the economic areas, historical sites plus inner parts of the city remain unaffected, Mister Veerachai said.
Last week, the particular southwest monsoon caused downpours leading to an increase of water within the Pasak Jolasid Dam in Lop Buri.
Thaweesak Thana-dachopol, deputy director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, said it expected to see 133. 26 million m³ of water pile up due to the downpours flowing into the dam’s reservoir from Aug 24-30.
The particular department expects the particular dam will have to deal with a total of 355 million m³ associated with water. It is steadily reducing the water level as it prepares for your next deluge in the North. The release rate was to become increased from 34. 56 million m³ on Thursday to 43. 20 million m³ on Saturday.
Soon after, the department can control the volume associated with water flowing from the dam together with the water from Chai Nat and Pasak rivers and channel this into the Rama VI Dam in Ayutthaya.
It can discharge water at a rate of 600 m³/s, resulting in a rising water level of in between 1 and one 5 metres within the section of Pasak lake that passes via Tha Ruea area until it converges with the Chao Phraya in Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya region.
The particular department is dealing with the province plus relevant agencies in order to notify business operators and local inhabitants from both edges of Pasak plus Chao Phraya streams of any adjustments.
Additionally it is working with local authorities in Lop Buri, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok in order to the water level in the Chao Phraya, Mister Thaweesak said.
In an associated development, the national disaster warning program panel on Thurs approved the proper plan for a national disaster warning system (2023-27).
The plan involves the particular launch of a caution system to inform people of potential safety hazards via their mobile phones.
The conference of the panel was chaired by Prawit Wongsuwon in one of his first responsibilities as caretaker prime minister since the suspension of Style Prayut Chan-o-cha pending a court ruling on his term restrict.