Northern runoff to reach capital early next week, flood death toll 87

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Northern runoff to reach capital early next week, flood death toll 87
The Nation 2011-09-15

Run-off from the North is approaching the lower Chao Phraya basin and is now expected to hit Bangkok early next week.

The situation will be particularly worrying between this coming Saturday and September 30, according to the House ad-hoc committee on tackling the flooding and managing water resources.

"Run-off water will linger in Bangkok over the period, which is also the time of the high tide," the panel said.

Sanya Cheenimit, who heads the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Drainage and Sewerage Department, yesterday said his agency was closely monitoring the situation.

"We are depleting water [levels] in canals and all 21 water-retention areas in Bangkok," he said, adding that officials are now on duty at water-pumping stations around the clock.

Speaking in his capacity as the deputy chief of the centre directing the response to storms, floods and landslides, Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary Chonchuen Boonyanusas warned people along the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok to move their belongings to higher ground.

"They must increase the height of the river's embankments, too," he said.

Bangkok's neighbouring provinces are, however, already under water. In Sing Buri, 73-year-old Thongkham Boonnithi drowned yesterday while trying to wade through flood water to get back to her home in Phrom Buri district.

Thai Red Cross Society secretary-general Pan Wannamethee yesterday represented Her Majesty the Queen in handing out 1,000 sets of relief items and a boat to flood-hit people in Sing Buri, and another vessel to In Buri Hospital.

Nonthaburi Governor Wichian Puttiwinyu, meanwhile, has now declared six districts under his jurisdiction as disaster-hit zones.

The province's famous Koh Kret attraction has been severely flooded. Shops and restaurants there had to close down as owners rushed to move their belongings to higher ground amid flood water that was about 1-metre-deep.

"Students and locals who have to travel need to pack new clothes to change into after wading through the flooded area," said 60-year-old Sudjit Jarernkul, who runs a pottery factory in Koh Kret.

In Pathum Thani, teachers at Wat Pho Luen School had to conduct classes from a temple hall and the house of one of their colleagues.

Up to 53 students huddled together at the house of Riam Pinworasan, the academic head of Wat Pho Luen School.

"Exams are about to start, so we have decided not to cancel classes. As well, we are concerned that if students are allowed to stay home, they may go out to play in the flood water and expose themselves to danger," Riam said. "Most parents will still go out to work, so we think it's better to keep children under teachers' supervision."

In a community behind Bang Luang Temple in Pathum Thani's Muang district, flood water was well over 1-metre deep, effectively marooning 200 families.

Deputy Public Health Minister Torpong Chaiyasarn yesterday said the flooding had already left 586 people with a serious level of stress, 1,465 with depression and 213 others at risk of suicide.

Flooding has upset the lives of about 700,000 people across 23 provinces.

As of press time, the flood-related death toll had reached 87.

In Chon Buri, crocodiles escaped from their enclosure at the Million Years Stone Park & Pattaya Crocodile Farm after part of a wall collapsed on Sunday night in the wake of eroding flood water and a storm.

"After four nights and four days, we have managed to recapture 29 crocodiles, but some are still missing," said park chief Suan Panomwattanakul.

He said anyone providing useful information on the animals' whereabouts would be given Bt5,000.