Chiang Mai dam opens spillway for 1st time in years

Officials in Chiang Mai province’s Mae Ngat Somboon Chon tank on Monday issued a warning to residents along the Mae Ngat and Ping river for potential storms, for the first time in 13 times.

According to reports in the media, the spillways of the Mae Ngat Somboon Chon pond on Sunday released 110 square meters of water per next. The release, regional officials said, will ending at 5pm on Monday.

People living on the lenders of the river were instructed to be on the lookout for sudden floods of water from upstream as water levels were anticipated to rise. The Thai Meteorological Department ( TMD) predicted further downpours will be expected in the upper Ping River basin until Tuesday, which the Royal Irrigation Department also announced on its Facebook page on Saturday.

The precipitation, which can be big in some locations, is likely to increase water flow in the Ping River and its tributaries. The RID warned that the dam’s emergency spillway could send 150 to 200 square meters of water downstream, which would have an impact on Chiang Mai city and additional downstream areas.

The groundwater spillway’s flow rate was increased to make room for more water and stop an unrestrained overflow, according to Chalermkiat Intakanok, project director.

The next time the government of Mae Ngat Somboon Chon tank was able to transfer water was in 2011, when severe flooding hit the entire nation.

Mr Chalermkiat said that although water levels along the Ping River at Nawarat Bridge have receded to 3.05 feet, which is below the critical stage, some places, including those around Chiang Mai’s economic area, remain flooded.

Clean-up initiatives are hindered by small water force, he said. Many people are now having trouble removing mud and debris because authorities have not yet dispatched liquid trucks to help.

Separately, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation ( DDPM) issued warnings to 63 provinces in the North, Northeast, Central Region and the South to be on alert for changing weather conditions. Storms and gusty winds may arise until Wednesday in all northern regions, all northern region regions, including Bangkok, and the southeastern state of Chumphon.