The Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) on Monday cautioned of possible flooding downstream from the Chao Phraya dam afterwards this week, with the river level expected to rise by 40-60 centimetres on Sept 16-17.
The ONWR said the Meteological Department’s prediction is for heavy rain from Sept 12-17 in the North, Northeast, East, South plus Central regions which includes Bangkok and its vicinity.
The Chao Phraya water is expected to run past Nakhon Sawan at 1, 900-2, 000 cubic metre distances per second as well as the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat at 1, 800-2, 000 cubic metre distances per second during this period.
Because of this, the water level beneath the dam within Chai Nat is certainly expected to rise by 40-60cm on September 16-17. Low-lying neighborhoods behind the floodwalls along the Chao Phraya river in Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani plus Bangkok would be impacted.
The ONWR asked the appropriate agencies to:
– Monitor the water situation, check the strength of riverside buildings, raise flood walls in low-lying areas higher plus warn local inhabitants to be prepared for the higher level of drinking water;
: Prepare machinery along with other equipment for relief operations; and
– Adjust plans for the release of water through reservoirs, dams plus sluice gates in line with the situation.