Flood-hit areas must batten down hatches
PUBLISHED : 2 Oct 2023 at 04:30
Heavy rain has been forecast from tomorrow until next Wednesday during which more floods are expected in several parts of the country.
Following days of torrential rain which have already resulted in flooding in the North and Northeast and the risk of more floods in the Central Plains, the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) warned these areas yesterday to prepare for more.
A new period of heavy rain, forecast to begin tomorrow and last until Saturday, will bring more run-off which is likely to exacerbate the current situation, it said.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation also cautioned 10 more provinces including Bangkok to brace for floods caused by any overflow from Chao Phraya River.
The provinces included in this warning are Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.
Communities in low-lying areas near the river are at greater risk of encountering flooding and the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat will need to release more water to prevent overflowing, said the department.
The discharge rate from the dam has already been raised from 1,000 cubic metres a second to 1,400 cu/mecs, said the department, and the situation is likely to worsen when Tropical Storm Koinu hits Vietnam next Monday, said the ONWR.
The 14th storm in the Pacific this season formed early on Saturday morning and is moving towards Taiwan and Hong Kong, according to a weather update issued yesterday by the Meteorological Department.
As of yesterday, close to 18,800 households in 28 provinces have been affected by floods, said Suttipong Juljarern, permanent-secretary for the interior.
In Sukhothai, a floodwall in Moo 1 village in tambon Pak Khwae of Muang district broke triggering a major flood in some nearby communities where people and livestock were evacuated.
The water levels in the Yom River measured right in front of the province’s city hall rose by 37 centimetres yesterday morning due to excess water flowing in from Mae Mok reservoir.
Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin yesterday visited Sukhothai to inspect the flood situation in the province. The rising volume of the run-off coming into Yom River was worrying, said Mr Somsak.
The minister also visited Phrae to inspect the salvage effort on an express train derailed in a flooded area on Saturday morning, in which some passengers sustained slight injuries.
Mr Somsak also discussed long-term measures with local authorities and improving the safety system of the country’s major dams as part of a bid to better cope with flooding.