Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc In Thailand

[george]

Heavy rains wreak havoc in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Heavy rains over the past few days have taken a toll on northern Thailand.

In Chiang Mai province, heavy rains washed away a reinforced bridge spanning the Ping river while landslides damaged 10km of road, interfering with traffic in Lampang province.

About 200 houses were flooded in Sukhothai province, where local authorities have dispatched over 500 soldiers to evacuate villagers from their homes. The provincial governor said some 25,000 families in five districts were affected.

In Chiang Rai province, heavy rain-triggered flooding, considered the worst in 10 years, drowned a 55-year-old man while he was trying to cling to his boat.

Flooding also destroyed roads in Uttaradit province, causing property loss worth 4 million baht.

--Agencies 2004-09-23

[george]

Floods show no sign of abating

The North, East and Northeast are still suffering from the seasonal flooding which has left six people dead and 400,000 in distress.

The provinces of Sukhothai, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Rai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Phanom, Nong Bua Lamphu and Prachin Buri are under water, but the situation in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok will worsen when runoff from the North reaches them soon, Wanchai Chouvanapanja from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said yesterday.

“Bangkok will not face floods because the water discharge from the North will be controlled at an appropriate level,” Wanchai said.

In Sukhothai, residents of Muang district were warned to evacuate after the Yom River rose to a critical point and was forecast to spill over its banks within 24 hours.

Some 200 officials have been stationed at risk spots with sandbags to contain gushes.

In Chiang Mai, where a Ping River bridge collapsed from raging currents on Tuesday, officials were sent to check the safety of the river’s other 25 bridges.

Waters in Chiang Rai had receded last week, but fresh storms have submerged 700 residences and more than 1,000 rai of farmland.

Prime Mininster’s Secretary-General Yongyuth Tiyapairat said after inspecting the province that the government had embarked on a top priority project to prevent a reoccurrence of the floods.

“About 24 months from now, Chiang Rai won’t see flooding anymore because 100 small reservoirs and four dams will be built soon and all waterways in the province will be dredged under a Bt1-billion budget,” Yongyuth said.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said city officials have been preparing to cope with surges from the North coming down the Chao Phya River. He was also confident that Bangkok could avoid inundation.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had already completed 50 kilometres of the 2.40-metre-high dyke along the Chao Phya River. The remaining 25 kilometres would be finished by 2008, he said.

“We prepared more than 16,000 sandbags to construct temporary barriers on the riverbank where the BMA’s wall is not ready,” he said.

Teeradej Tangpraprutkul, deputy director of the Drainage and Sewerage Department, said his office would go on alert on October 17-18, when the runoff from the North was forecast to reach Bangkok during the annual high tides on the Chao Phya River.

--The Nation 2004-09-23

[stumonster]

“Bangkok will not face floods because the water discharge from the North will be controlled at an appropriate level,” Wanchai said.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said city officials have been preparing to cope with surges from the North coming down the Chao Phya River. He was also confident that Bangkok could avoid inundation.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had already completed 50 kilometres of the 2.40-metre-high dyke along the Chao Phya River. The remaining 25 kilometres would be finished by 2008, he said.

“We prepared more than 16,000 sandbags to construct temporary barriers on the riverbank where the BMA’s wall is not ready,” he said.

Teeradej Tangpraprutkul, deputy director of the Drainage and Sewerage Department, said his office would go on alert on October 17-18, when the runoff from the North was forecast to reach Bangkok during the annual high tides on the Chao Phya River.

--The Nation 2004-09-23

is there cause for concern?

how high have floods gotten in the past?

will the new airport go underwater?

[IamMaiC]

What About Udon Thani Didn't read anything about that city Is it going to be OK there?

[RamdomChances]

The provinces of Sukhothai, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Rai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Phanom, Nong Bua Lamphu and Prachin Buri are under water, but the situation in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok will worsen when runoff from the North reaches them soon, Wanchai Chouvanapanja from the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said yesterday.

Well I'm in Nakhon Sawan, and I can tell you we are definatly NOT underwater, even Nakhon town is'nt to bad, and thats the start of the Choa Praya. Nakon gets flooded every year, two years ago was the worst, some of the houses close to the river were completaly underwater (roof and all).

Cheers RC

[stumonster]

About the Chao Phraya Delta

nice maps

[penzman]

We had one he11 of a storm last evening in Chonburi. I was counting one lightning flash per second, amazing! I was lucky enough to capture about 8 lightning strikes on video (dangerous and electrifying hobby of mine ).

No flooding here, although the village seems to be lower than the land surrounding it...6 month old house, time will tell.