Thai rescuers battle floodwaters to reach dozens stranded in homes

[snoop1130]

FILE PHOTO: Flood victims sit on a boat after they were rescued amid severe flooding in the Chaiyaphum province, Thailand, in this screen grab taken from a video from social media September 28, 2021. Hook31 Thailand/via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Rescuers in northestern Thailand waded through fast-flowing floods to rescue dozens of people stranded in their homes on Wednesday, as authorities tried to drain away waters and get more help to victims.

 

At least seven people have died and another is missing in floods over the last week that have affected almost 200,000 households in 30 provinces in the lower north and northeastern Thailand.

 

Rescuers wearing orange helmets and lifejackets travelled by boats through submerged streets in the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum to reach people stuck on the roofs of their homes.

 

Video posted on social media by the Hook 31 private rescue team showed them wading carefully against a current of brown water as high as the windows of abandoned cars, some carrying children on their backs and escorting the elderly along a series of guide ropes.

 

Authorities have issued warnings over the rising water level of the Chaophraya river that could bring flooding to the capital Bangkok and surrounding areas.

 

The government has reassured the public that the situation is manageable and there will be no repeat of the devastating months-long flooding of 2011, which killed hundreds of people, damaged vast swathes of farmland and paralysed Bangkok and its industrial belt.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-09-29

 

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(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um, Juarawee Kittisilpa and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Editing by Martin Petty and Barbara Lewis)

[RichardColeman]

7 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The government has reassured the public that the situation is manageable and there will be no repeat of the devastating months-long flooding of 2011

Definition based on PM's recent comments : Plan now for devastating months-long flooding

[hotchilli]

No lessons learnt in 2011, anti-flood infrastructure here seems to be beyond anyones capability.

[NoshowJones]

6 hours ago, hotchilli said:

No lessons learnt in 2011, anti-flood infrastructure here seems to be beyond anyones capability.

Running the country is beyond the capabilities of the unelected PM and the other Chuckle Brother, Anutin, so why should any anti-flood infrastructure not be beyond their capabilities?

[brianthainess]

Lucky more didn't drown in that overloaded boat. As i have said before the Army should have brought DUCKS instead of Tanks but....