Flash Flood In Chiang Rai; School Closes

[george]

Flash flood in Chiang Rai; school closes

CHIANG RAI: -- Flash floods have hit the northern province of Chiang Rai, prompting a school to close, and affecting about one thousand homes.

Wisit Dulayapat, director of the Chiang Rai Education Area, Zone 2, said that several areas in Phan district were hit by flash floods on Thursday morning due to heavy rain.

Forest torrents from the Doi Luang National Park gushed into waterways.

Bansanpong School in the district was hit by flooding and forced to close. School staff moved teaching materials and computers were moved to higher ground, and the director warned of possible flood at other schools nearby.

More than 1,000 homes and about 2,000 acres of farmland in four sub-districts were affected.

Two wooden bridges, connecting routes between villages were damaged, while small landslides and blocked a portion of road in a village in Pahong sub-district, cutting off more than 150 houses. Local authorities were giving assistance to villagers, who couldn't travel out of the area.

-- TNA 2008-08-28