Chiang Rai Floods?

[tayto]

Flood hits Chiang Rai province

(BangkokPost.com) - Fourteen villages in Chiang Rai are under water early Thursday after heavy rain hit the province.

Rain poured onto the villages since 3am, bringing flash flood to the areas three hours later.

More than 100 households are inundated, a Chiang Rai official said, adding that rescue units have been sent to the villages urgently to take villagers out of the water.

There are no report of injuries or casualties. But agricultural areas are vastly damaged.

I haven't seen any floods around the city but I haven't been around very much today.

[Joel Barlow]

PuChiFah area

[tayto]

Disaster blamed on forest destruction

THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA

Bangkok Post

Chiang Rai _ Run-off from Phu Chi Fa mountain, one of the major tourist attractions, swept through hundreds of houses in two districts in the early hours of yesterday. Forest encroachment and illegal logging caused the flooding, according to local officials.

About 5am, floodwater as high as five metres from Khun Nam Ngao stream atop the mountain hit more than 500 houses in 14 villages and ruined more than 10,000 rai of farmland in tambon Tab Tao in Thoeng district.

Villagers were forced to flee toward higher ground.

Some villagers were left stranded in houses and it took rescue workers almost three hours to get them to safety.

No casualties or missing people were reported.

Rescue workers managed to save Rattana Jaithoeng, 68, and his wife Oura, 60, villagers at Ban Lao in tambon Tab Tao, only minutes before their house was swept away.

Mr Rattana said he and his wife were woken by the thunderous sound of strong water approaching. Their house was engulfed by floodwater, which almost reached the second floor.

The front of this house near Phu Chi Fa mountain in Chiang Rai collapsed after it was hit by run-off that also inundated hospitals and schools in Wiang Chiang Rung sub-district. The most serious natural disaster in the area for 24 years was attributed to deforestation in high areas. — THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA

''As the water was surging, we thought we would die,'' he said, adding that the flood was the worst he had seen in two decades.

Strong currents cut a hole 320 metres wide through an embankment in Ton Khueng village. It damaged a local school, destroyed a section of a concrete bridge and laid waste to many wooden bridges.

Run-off also flooded a school, houses and farmland in Huay Ian village in tambon Ngao in Thoeng district.

A road linking Thoeng and Chiang Kham was made impassable by up to 50cm of water, causing traffic gridlock as long as one kilometre.

In Wiang Chiang Rung sub-district, a hospital, a road between Nong Bua Daeng and Wiang Chiang Rung and wide areas of farmland were also inundated. Floodwater of up 30cm forced the closure of a kindergarten in the sub-district.

Rescue and relief workers from the disaster prevention and mitigation office in Phaya Mengrai district rescued villagers in areas affected by the flooding.

Bantherng Kruewong, chief of the tambon Tab Tao administration organisation, said the flooding was caused by rampant illegal logging and shifting cultivation practices, which had depleted wide areas of forest and caused an imbalance in the ecological system.

Several days of downpours had increased the water level of Khun Nam Ngao stream in Phu Chi Fa mountain, triggering run-off and mudslides, he said.

The Meteorological Department forecasts widespread thundershowers in the northern region today. Heavy rain is expected in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Tak and Phetchabun.

[zzSleepyJohn]

Flood hits Chiang Rai province

(BangkokPost.com) - Fourteen villages in Chiang Rai are under water early Thursday after heavy rain hit the province.

Rain poured onto the villages since 3am, bringing flash flood to the areas three hours later.

More than 100 households are inundated, a Chiang Rai official said, adding that rescue units have been sent to the villages urgently to take villagers out of the water.

There are no report of injuries or casualties. But agricultural areas are vastly damaged.

I haven't seen any floods around the city but I haven't been around very much today.

But despite this heavy downpour earlier in the week, my impression is that we're not getting as much rain as is usual for the time of year.

Anyone bear me out on this impression? Or got any rainfall statistics? I see there's a dry spell forecast for next week.

. + SJ

[svenivan]

But despite this heavy downpour earlier in the week, my impression is that we're not getting as much rain as is usual for the time of year.

Anyone bear me out on this impression? Or got any rainfall statistics? I see there's a dry spell forecast for next week.

. + SJ

I got the same feeling but no statistics!

The rain the night between Wednesday and Thursday was the first very heavy rain this season.

I never seen the reservoir in Huai Sak that empty.

Edited August 19, 2007 by svenivan

[Joel Barlow]

anyone who really wants stats need merely inquire at the airport meteorological bureau - to the north/front of the new airport.

[bahnoo]

Disaster blamed on forest destruction

About 5am, floodwater as high as five metres from Khun Nam Ngao stream atop the mountain hit more than 500 houses in 14 villages and ruined more than 10,000 rai of farmland in tambon Tab Tao in Thoeng district.

Just came back from thoeng, was there for 1 mth. there was a slight flood in wiang. other then that in thoeng town no flood.