Northern state’s primary air-port closed, heart of Muang area hard inundated
Lee RAI: The economic center of Thailand’s westernmost state is now inundated, with waters reaching waist-deep ranges and continuing to rise due to the overflowing Kok River.
The closing of Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport was caused by a flood on Thursday, with a Thai AirAsia flight leaving at 1.10pm the next trip to go through.
Access to important areas, including Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, the five-way Pho Khun crossing, and the municipal house, was affected by the closing of roads and bridges in the Muang district on Thursday night.
Due to strong currents, emergency started on Wednesday nights, when residents were unable to stay in the ground-floor homes. To help in evacuating those trapped by the rapid-flowing waters, jet skis were used.
Chiangrai Prachanukroh Hospital in the Muang city said on Thursday that it was only handling urgent situations.
Muang area in Chiang Rai is one of the six regions that has experienced flood damage. The others are Chiang Khong, Chiang Saen, Mae Chan, Mae Fah Luang and Mae Sai.
More than 10, 000 homes have been affected, with three incidents reported in Mae Fah Luang. ( Story continues below )
On Thursday, a sea police officer carries a child through the Mae Sai region of Chiang Rai province’s deep water. ( Photo supplied/Wassayos Ngamkham )
On Thursday, local people in Chiang Rai do their cleaning near the Mae Sai borders station. ( Photo: Hug Mae Sai Facebook )
Sai River falling
In Mae Sai area, authorities said the level of the Sai River was falling and Phahon Yothin Road, which had been greatly flooded, was back to normal on Thursday.
However, the problems in the Muang district’s center continued to be challenging.
Due to the damage caused by flood and the need to clean up the Mae Sai boundary station, drivers are still able to travel to Myanmar.
On Thursday, Thai authorities had to integrate with Myanmar immigration officials before returning to their country on base after being left stranded on the Thai area during the flood.
On Thursday night, sellers from the border’s Sai Lom Joy business arrived in their stores to begin repairing the damage.
People were now able to enter the Koh Sai group, which was earlier impenetrable. However, some sites were still under waters.
On Thursday, tambon Mae Sai city officials, police, rescue personnel, and Navy officers went to evacuate people who had been stranded in their flooded houses for more than two days.
To assist in the evacuation of flood victims, aquatic officers with flat-bottomed boats were dispatched from three stations in the state. In some places that ships could not accomplish, policeman had to wade through rainwater to remove victims, mainly the elderly, women and children.
After the Kok valley burst its banks, causing significant flooding in many of the city’s downtown areas, rescue team and boats were dispatched to support disaster victims flee their homes. Around 30 centimeters great were the floodwaters at the Phor Khun crossroads.
Some roads that had been overflowed after the Sai River overflowed were once more accessible after the river’s water level decreased by about one meter, or near the standard amount, according to Suttipong Juljarern, the internal ministry’s permanent secretary. ( Story continues below )
After water recedes on Thursday in front of the Mae Sai boundary checkpoint in Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai city, a person inspects dust that washed onto the road as a result of the floods. ( Photo: Hug Mae Sai Facebook )
40 regions on update
Over 40 counties were on alert for potential flash floods as a fresh tropical depression is anticipated to increase through September 18, according to an article released by the Office of National Water Resources on Thursday.
According to the authorities, at least nine people have died as a result of floods in the northern regions of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai since Tuesday.
From Friday through the first of the week, the weather department anticipates more heavy rain to arrive early in the nation.
Since Aug 16, floods and landslides have killed 33 citizens across Thailand and affected almost 110, 000 homes, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
In Thailand, about 34, 000 families, mostly in the northwestern region, have been affected by Typhoon Yagi, the strongest wind to reach Asia this year. The wind has even wreaked havoc in neighbouring Vietnam, where it left at least 157 people dead and 139 more lost.