Floods Kill 56 In Thailand

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Floods kill 56 in Thailand

BANGKOK, October 26, 2010 (AFP) - The worst floods to hit parts of Thailand in decades have left at least 56 people dead, but Bangkok has so far avoided heavy deluges, officials said Tuesday.

The capital has been on standby with thousands of sandbags and pumps as flood water from the north runs downstream and threatens to coincide with high tides.

"The situation in Bangkok still needs monitoring closely as we cannot be complacent, especially along the banks of the Chao Phraya river," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters.

The city centre escaped floods on Tuesday morning thanks to a lower-than-expected tide, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said after inspecting the situation by helicopter.

The authorities estimate that several million people across the country have been affected by the floods, which began on October 10, with homes submerged and farmland or cattle destroyed.

The government approved a plan to offer compensation of 5,000 baht (168 dollars) to affected households, earmarking a total of 3.3 billion baht for flood-hit families.

Abhisit said he expected the total compensation paid by the government to flood victims would eventually exceed 10 billion baht.

On Monday the death toll had stood at 41, according to the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand, mostly in central and eastern areas of the country.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-10-26

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Flood death toll rises to 56: Jurin

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said Tuesday that the toll of flood-related deaths has climbed up to 56.

Of the toll, 49 drowned, he said.

He said the Public Health Ministry also received reports that 170,000 people had suffered from waterborne diseases.

He said the ministry was urgently making mobile toilets to distribute to people in flood areas.

-- The Nation 2010-10-26

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Flood death toll reaches 56; 25 provinces remain under water

BANGKOK, Oct 26 - The Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand on Tuesday reported the death toll in Thailand's worst flooding in decades reached 56 in 17 provinces. The highest number of fatalities -- 10 persons -- was recorded in Lopburi, followed by nine in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Meanwhile, of the 34 flood-stricken provinces, the situation in nine provinces has returned to normal while flooding continues in 25 provinces, the disaster prevention and mitigation department said in its report on the latest flooding situation from Oct 10-26.

Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office Satit Wonghnongtaey, as chair of the committee overseeing assistance for flood victims, said that he would ask for a budget of Bt280 million (US$9.3 million) for flood-hit residents at the Cabinet meeting today.

The budget aims to provide emergency facilities to those in need, particularly mobile toilets, rowboats, flat-bottom boats and motorboats

Regarding insufficiency of sandbags, the committee will coordinate with the Ministry of Industry to provide additional 500,000 sandbags, in addition to 1,000,000 sandbags provided by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Mr Satit added that he will also propose that the Cabinet relax some regulations to speed up help for the flood victims as well as to provide financial support in a transparent manner.

As central provinces are handling a large amount of northern run-off and high tide, the water level in the Chao Phraya River at the Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge in Bangkok was measured at 2.10 metres at 9.09am Tuesday morning. The water level later receded but was expected to rise again at 6.44pm.

Shops at Tha Prachan pier have been flooded and sandbags were unable to prevent overflowing water from the river. Nearby Tha Chang community has also been affected, but shops remain open.

In hardest-hit northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, Maharat Nakhonratchasima Hospital, the province’s largest state hospital, resumed full service on Tuesday after it was hit by severe flooding for nine days.

About 100 people went to hospital Tuesday morning, despite floodwater there at some 30-40 centimetres deep, but it can be reached by bridge and army trucks have been provided to transport hospital visitors.

Fifty patients were transferred to Maharat Hospital from other hospitals Monday night while flooding in this hardest-hit province started to recede except in three districts. The number of patients admitted at hospital is 469 people in total with 139 cases in critical condition. About 100 inpatients of the total 469 are on respirators.

In the northeastern province of Buri Ram, water from the Mun River continued flooding approximately 400,00 rai (about 160,000 acres) of rice paddy fields, spreading across 19 districts, according to the chief of Buri Ram Agricultural Office Somboon Zarum. If the farmland remains submerged for over a week, 300,000 rai of paddy fields are likely to be completely destroyed.

According to the Buri Ram Agricultural Office, farmland in Nang Rong, Lam Plai Mat, Khu Mueang, Khaen Dong, Satuek and Phutthaisong districts has been severely affected by inundation.Mr Somboon said that district agricultural heads and local administration offices, subdistrict chiefs and village heads were inspecting the damage.

Farmers whose paddy crops are completely destroyed will be given financial support under government regulations.

The provincial agricultural chief asked affected farmers to inform the authorities for further inspections and consideration for providing relief. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2010-10-26

[chantorn]

Still under 91.

[Guest]

Still under 91.

Is that supposed to be funny? Or just callous?

[whybother]

Still under 91.

Is that supposed to be funny? Or just callous?

Paul ... meet Chantorn ... now please ignore him/her from now on.