Floods recede in many areas, but danger remains

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Floods recede in many areas, but danger remains

 

 

While floodwaters have receded in many regions, the situation remains critical in other parts of the country.

 

The flood situation in Chao Phraya River Basin and Chi River Basin has started to resolve, as people in both the Central and Northeastern region have noticed a lowering of floodwaters.

 

However, flood dangers persist in provinces along the Chi River, and high flood levels in Phitsanulok have forced many schools to postpone the start of the new semester for another week. 

 

Thongchai Sornsena, chief of Tambon Lamchi Administrative Organisation in Khong Chai District, Kalasin province, said that although the level of the Chi River had lowered, it still exceeded the critical level. Residents, local authorities and soldiers are still working hard to strengthen the dyke along the riverbank to stop the river overflowing. 

 

Thongchai said even though rivers levels had stabilised after discharges from the Ubonrat Dam, the situation was still far from safe, as the dyke along the riverside was old and a rapid water level decrease could cause structural damage to it. A local activist in Khon Kaen, Sawat Uphart, also reported on his Facebook age that floodwaters in the province had reduced, but he asked who will be responsible for the damage.

 

In Phitsanulok’s Bang Rakam district, Chamnan Chutiang, the Yom-Nan Irrigation Project director, reported that the water level in the Bang Rakam flood retention field had decreased at the rate of 10 centimetres per day. 

 

Chamnan said there was still 431 million cubic metres of water stored in the field, compared to its total capacity of 550 million cubic metres. At least three schools in flood-affected areas have had to postpone the starting date of the new semester to November 13, from the scheduled date of November 1.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30330971

 

 

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