Riverside residents warned to prepare for floods

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Riverside residents warned to prepare for floods
The Nation 2011-08-09

Residents in seven provinces along the Chao Phraya have been told to brace for flooding that will overflow the river.

The alert from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department prompted Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials to check sandbag barriers in the capital yesterday.

The Nock Ten storm has left a trail of death and damage in its wake. More than 1.1 million people have been affected, with 20 killed, another missing and 11 others injured. Floods have swamped close to 620,000 rai of farmland, and disrupting life in 6,809 villages in 21 provinces.

Disaster Prevention chief Wibul Sanguanpong urged riverside residents in Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok to brace for floods up till Wednesday. They should move belongings to higher ground and strictly follow news about the weather and orders from related agencies.

Wibul said 132 districts in 17 provinces - Phrae, Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, Bueng Kan, Sakhon Nakhon, Phetchabun and Ayutthaya - were still flooded, affecting over a million people.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday inspected flood barriers along the Chao Phraya in Bang Sue and expressed confidence they would hold runoff that is expected to hit Bangkok on tomorrow, as the river could still take 2.5-3 metres more water.

He urged the new national government to prepare for more flooding in two months - the traditional peak season for the capital - and hoped that the Bangkok Council would approve Bt25 million to build more flood barriers in Bang Sue next year.

BMA Drainage and Sewerage Department head, Sanya Chenimit said 30,000 sandbags were piled up as a 190-metre-long barrier from Bang Pho drainage station to the Army's Quartermaster Department. Another 40,600 sandbags make up a 1,000m barrier in Bangkok Noi's Naval Dockyard Department, while 12,000 sandbags were also piled alongside Klong Toei.

In Phitsanulok's Phrom Piram district, the worst-hit Tambon Tha Chang remained under a metre of water, while Wat Memsuwannaram School suspended classes indefinitely.

Ban Khlong Mem assistant village headman Preecha Sriyithong said the flood came fast and hard due to runoff from Sukhothai and was still rising by an inch a day. He said 70 per cent of the village or 200 homes were submerged and would possibly remain so for another month.

Phichit's Sam Ngam district also suffered a 2-metre flood which made 20 riverside homes inhabitable as the Yom River took runoff from Sukhothai and Phitsanulok. A resident said this was the "highest" flood and would remain a long time, so they had built temporary shelters on higher ground.

In Lop Buri, head of the 10th Irrigation Office Noppon Chaipichit said the Khok Krathium and Rama 6 water gates were opened to let Chao Phraya River runoff flow to the Pasak River to save homes and farmland along the Chai Nat-Pasak irrigation canal.

In Lampang's Koh Kha district, students and teachers at Ban Na Saeng School cleaned up floodwater yesterday that had covered the school for a week before receding.

Meanwhile, rangers from Tak's Mae Sot district yesterday provided medical supplies and food to eight Karen flood victims in Mae Hong Son's Sob Mei district, after their homes were swept a way. They are now living in a temple pavilion.