Flood Recedes In Three Eastern Thai Provinces

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Flood recedes in three eastern provinces

BANGKOK, Oct 24 – Floods in three out of 31 flood-hit provinces have receded, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation which reported the latest flood situation from October 10-24 in 31 provinces on Sunday.

The three provinces are the eastern provinces of Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat while flooding continues in 28 provinces, including Phichit, Chainat, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Sakaeo, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachinburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Chaiyabhum, Saraburi, Phetchabun, Nakhon Nayok, Si Sa Ket, Tak, Surin, Buriram, Khon Kaen, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Pathom, Uthaithani, Singburi, Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Chonburi.

More than 2,400,000 people have been affected and about one million acres of farmland were damaged, the department said.

In Bangkok, the Department of Drainage and Sewerage said the water level in the Chao Phraya River was measured at 1.98 metres at the Pakklongtalad

flower market at 07.15 am Sunday, the highest tide this year.

The water flow from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat and the Rama VI Dam in Ayutthaya was recorded at 4,468 cubic metres per minute, causing floods in areas outside the flood prevention dikes and affecting about 1,300 households.

At Santichaiprakarn Park at Phra Arthit pier in Bangkok, some water from the Chao Phraya overflowed the sand embankment into the park Sunday morning but the water level has decreased late morning.

In Lop Buri, director of the local irrigation office said the flood situation along the Chainat-Pasak canal has improved after the rain stopped. Water from the canal was released into the Chao Phraya River. Sluices of the Rama VI Dam were opened to release about 200 million cubic out of 400 million cubic metres of forest run-off from nearby areas.

The province installed water pumps to drain flood water in the provincial seat and expected flooding will end within one week and about two weeks in low-lying areas. It will take about one month in low-lying farming areas, he said.

Lopburi governor Chatchai Promlert said the authorities have been working to help people in flood-stricken areas of about 46,000 acres. He was concerned about water borne diseases at the moment, particularly regarding diarrhea. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-10-24

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Flood-hit Maharat Hospital ready to resume outpatient service

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Oct 24 - Maharat Nakhonratchasima Hospital will be ready to offer services for outpatients on Monday after it halted services due to flooding in this hardest-hit province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said.

According to Mr Jurin, the waters surrounding Maharat Nakhonratchasima Hospital is now about 50cm deep, but the floodwaters will be pumped out of the hospital within two days.

The regional army also helped fill and place sandbags to prevent more water from entering the hospital in order that the hospital's overall water system can function.

The ministry has prepared helicopters with a 24-hour access to move patients in critical condition in other hospitals nearby where roads were cut due to floodwaters for further treatment at Maharat Nakhonratchasima Hospital.

There are currently 441 in-patients at the hospital, of whom 120 need respirators. The medical teams have been using operating rooms of Fort Suranari Hospital and Bangkok Hospital Ratchasima in case of emergency.

The operation services of Maharat Hospital are expected to resume Tuesday depending on the readiness of the hospital's wastewater treatment system. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-10-24