Heavy Flooding In Bangkok, Traffic Woes

[george]

Heavy downpours lead to severe floods, traffic woes

BANGKOK: -- Heavy morning downpours caused severe flooding at several spots in Bangkok and serious traffic jams in many areas yesterday despite efforts by police and city officials to tackle the problem.

More rain is likely in Bangkok today, according to weather forecasters.

Pol Maj-Gen Dusitsant Therapat, deputy metropolitan police chief, said that two downpours yesterday had led to serious drainage problems resulting in severe traffic congestion in many areas of the city.

Many roads were flooded, forcing vehicles to slow down. Traffic police tried their best to ease the congestion, while special operation, rapid mobile and reserve teams were sent out to manage traffic and clear problems wherever road accidents occurred.

Despite their best efforts, heavy traffic congestion continued until the afternoon throughout Bangkok.

Pol Lt-Col Wannarong Wonglee, deputy chief of the Traffic Police Sub-Division 4, said traffic started to improve around 10am but things got worse again when another downpour hit the city.

The affected areas included the in-bound lanes of Phetchaburi road, Uru-phong intersection, Rama VIII bridge, Boromratchonnanee elevated road, Banthat Thong road, Wong Wian Yai circle, Ratchasima-Si Ayutthaya intersection, Lat Phrao area, and the inbound lanes of Ramkhamhaeng and Phetchaburi roads.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Samart Ratchapolsitte said yesterday's volume of rainwater citywide surpassed 60 millimetres per hour while the city's drainage pipes were only able to drain up to 60mm of water per hour. As a result, many areas were flooded.

He said it took the BMA a couple of hours to drain floodwater with all its water pumps running at full capacity. Additional pumps were also sent to heavily-flooded areas.

The hard-hit areas were Chaeng Watthana Soi 14, part of Ratchadaphisek road in front of Jusco department store, Lat Phrao road, a road under the expressway in the Sanam Pao area, Pracha Songkhroh road, part of Phitsanulok road in front of the Royal Turf Club, and the Makkasan industrial estate.

The BMA would have more flood forecast radars installed in all 50 districts of Bangkok, and start up its flood forecast system on Aug 1, he said.

The Meteorological Department's weather forecast chief Charoon Laohalertchai said the volume of rainwater in Bangkok was as high as 134.5mm at 11.30am yesterday.

More rain was likely in Bangkok as a result of the southeastern and southwestern winds sweeping across the Central and Eastern regions, he said.

Traffic reports by Sor Wor Phor 91 radio station showed that the rain lasted until 2pm in many city areas, causing flooding in the Din Daeng area, part of Rama IV road near the expressway tollgate, and several roads in downtown Bangkok.

Heavy traffic jams lasted the entire morning on Ramkhamhaeng and Phetchaburi roads, on Rama VIII bridge, several roads on the Thon Buri side of the city, parts of Phahon Yothin and Ratchadaphisek roads from the Criminal Court to Lat Phrao intersection, and on Sri Ayutthaya road where a flyover was being built at Phaya Thai intersection.

However, no serious road accidents were reported.

--Bangkok Post 2005-07-14

[george]

Rain, pot plants cause havoc

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok traffic was mired in chaos yesterday morning following hours of widespread rain throughout the capital.

Most of the city’s main thoroughfares were inundated and traffic flows were slowed to almost a standstill. At some intersections, motorists had to wait for more than 30 minutes to move at all.

Inner-city areas and roads along the Chao Phya River were the worst affected.

More than 10 hours of heavy rain and the resulting flooding caused many commuters to arrive late for work. Roadside houses were flooded and many occupants were seen bailing floodwater from their shophouses using whatever utensils they could find.

Even the Government House compound was heavily flooded – with water levels topping 30 centimetres in some areas – unprecedented for the enclosure. Heavy flooding forced Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s vehicle to move from its usual parking spot to higher ground.

Government House officials and reporters were forced to carry their shoes while wading through shin-deep floodwaters.

Then cars started breaking down, creating more congestion, as traffic police pushed lame vehicles out of the way.

Floating potted plants, which had been used as traffic-island decorations, became another obstacle in the already slow-flowing traffic, and a source of amusement for onlookers in an otherwise stressful situation.

Slippery roads led to many car accidents, slowing traffic even further.

Traffic flows on expressways were not much better than on terra firma, after motorists crowded the elevated highways to avoid flooded surface streets. Congestion was particularly serious on entrance and exit ramps.

“Traffic police are working very hard to keep the traffic flowing. They have rapid deployment and special operation units to tackle the problem,” said Maj-General Dusitsan Therapat, deputy commander of the Metropolitan Police.

Rainfall in Bangkok topped 134.5 millimetres before noon in some parts yesterday, considered “very heavy”, said Jaroon Laohalertvichai, a senior official at the Meteorological Department. Heavy rains are likely again today.

Samart Ratchapolsitte, Bangkok’s deputy governor, said the city’s water pumps could not cope with yesterday’s downfall.

He said the city administration would begin operating its new flood-forecasting system on August 1, which should help provide more efficient management of areas prone to flooding.

--The Nation 2005-07-14

[lomatopo]

Rain, pot plants cause havoc

BANGKOK: -- Bangkok traffic was mired in chaos yesterday morning following hours of widespread rain throughout the capital.

Floating potted plants, which had been used as traffic-island decorations, became another obstacle in the already slow-flowing traffic, and a source of amusement for onlookers in an otherwise stressful situation.

--The Nation 2005-07-14

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

At first I didn't know what to make of the headline in today's The Nation...I was trying to figure out how "pot plants" were related to the heavy rains here yesterday. Maybe an editor was having a bit of fun?