Flash Floods Hit Chiang Mai - 1 Dead, 7 Injured

[ufkenmill]

It's almost midnight now in Chiang Mai and the situation in parts is chaotic at best. Flooding is rampant on the southern, western, and southwestern sides of the river. It's literally up to 2 meters deep in places but probably 1/2 to 1 meter all the way up from the river to super highway on the western and southern sides. (the superhighway is a circle around the city)

I just came back from Nong Hoi area and also near the train station. It's crazy. 1000's of people standing on the side of the road waiting apparently for the flooding to go down or maybe a way out, not sure what. 100's of people walking down the train tracks carrying their belongings from their houses. Many people have no place to stay tonight and have had their houses ruined.

The military and the police are doing their best to help where they can. Don't listen to the negative BS about how the Thai govt doesn't care about the regular people so they didn't warn them. That's just not true. Most govt employees are low-paid, regular people and of course they will do what they can to help. I personally witnessed today and tonight many incidents of them helping to get people out of their homes by boat, tractor, truck or any other way they could.

I have a good friend who is a teacher at an orphanage and is stuck on the 2nd floor of the orphanage with 14 orphans, the entire 1st floor is under water and they can't leave. I tried to get to them, but my efforts were in vain. The water is literally almost 2 meters high in places. I drove a 4x4 as far as I could and then tried to walk the rest of the way in but it's just too dangerous.

The kids are still there and it's too dark for us to do anything more tonight, so we're waiting until morning to go and help them out if we can. There are many others stranded besides them as well, just waiting it out.

Remember, stay away from power lines, keep yours eyes out for snakes and boil all your water if you're using tap water for anything.

[Happy Jack]

Have posted further pics from this evening at www.thaichange.com/cm_flood.htm

Since this afternoon water has continued to rise. You can see the difference between the shots taken near Suriwongse hotel this arvo and this evening. Sorry these took so long to post but power went out around 10.

[Johpa]

Have posted further pics from this evening at www.thaichange.com/cm_flood.htm

Since this afternoon water has continued to rise. You can see the difference between the shots taken near Suriwongse hotel this arvo and this evening. Sorry these took so long to post but power went out around 10.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your newer pictures make it clear that this is far more serious than the 1987 flood I referred to earlier.

[Zoltan]

With all that water im sure the Mosquitos will be thriving.. i was going to check Chiang Mai out on my next trip. I hope that water is gone by Christmas time ....dont need Malaria or dengue fever.

[Steve2UK]

With all that water im sure the Mosquitos will be thriving.. i was going to check Chiang Mai out on my next trip. I hope that water is gone by Christmas time ....dont need Malaria or dengue fever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good to see that you've got your priorities right . I'm sure that all the Chiang Mai residents will do their very best to make sure that you'll be OK - and never mind the trouble that they're going through.........

[cobra]

Here is a picture from my car as i drove to work:

Chiang Mai Night bazaar Road This morning and waters are rising higher

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Amazing, I've been ankle deep but never seen it knee deep like your Chiang Mai pic shows,

(Here's a pic of flooding in Phuket years ago),

[coldcrush]

I honestly did not realise it was that bad when my friend from CM phoned me. The photos have brought the extent of the flooding to light. Has CM University been affected? Time to get on the blower.

I hope the people of CM get all the help they need, its a great place with alot of good hearted people.

[Foggy Bottom]

I honestly did not realise it was that bad when my friend from CM phoned me.  The photos have brought the extent of the flooding to light.  Has CM University been affected?  Time to get on the blower.

I hope the people of CM get all the help they need, its a great place with alot of  good hearted people.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Extremely unlikely - CMU is one of the highest points in ChianMai - well over a hundred feet higher than the night bazaar.

[george]

Update:

NORTHERN DELUGE: Six killed in flash floods

Business areas, roads submerged; water 1 metre high in places. Flash floods continued to wreak havoc in the North yesterday, killing six people and affecting about 50,000 others in 28 districts in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phayao, Chiang Rai and Lampang yesterday.

Water overflowing the Ping River flooded Chiang Mai’s Muang district, leaving popular shopping spots like the Night Bazaar, Chang Klan Road, the Old Chiang Mai-Lampoon Road and many business areas underwater. The water was up to a metre deep in some places and stalled traffic.

The highest water level of two metres was recorded at Tambon Pa Dat’s Weing Thong Village, whose 300 residents were evacuated. Seven schools in Muang district have been closed temporarily.

About 100 passengers were stranded at the Chiang Mai railway station in the evening after trains to Bangkok were cancelled due 30-centimetre-deep water on the tracks. The train from Bangkok had to stop at a station in Sarapee district, from where the passengers were taken the remaining 30 kilometres from Chiang Mai to Chiang Mai by bus.

Officers were expecting more water flowing from other, higher districts to hit the city at 2am last night.

Chiang Mai mayor Boonlert Buranupakorn said it was the worst flood to hit the province in 20 years. The drainage system was unable to cope despite having been cleaned to prevent flooding.

The cost of the damage had still not been assessed, he said.

Officials travelled by boat in Chiang Dao, Phrao and San Sai districts to give out 400 bags of relief supplies to people. A helicopter equipped with medical equipment was put on standby for any emergency cases.

A 32-year-old man died in Chiang Dao district after being hit by a car carried along on the floodwater. Seven other people were seriously injured.

The situation in seven tambons of Mae Hong Son improved yesterday, though four people were killed by strong currents. The victims were a 42-year-old woman in Pai district and a 15-year-old boy and two men in Pang Ma Pa district. Two foreigners were among the 27 people injured in Pai. Two people were missing there while another 11 were reported missing in Pang Ma Pa.

The floods also submerged four spots on the Mae Hong Son-Pai Highway and washed away four bridges connecting villages. Besides, 300 homes and 3,000 rai of farmland, especially in Pai district, were affected. The damage was estimated at more than Bt120 million.

Four villages were cut off by floodwater and attempts to take them food by helicopter were prevented by bad weather.

Floodwater from Doi Luang, which hit Lampang’s Wang Nua district two days ago, reached Jae Hom district, drowning a 35-year-old man drowned and destroying homes.

In Phayao, the water level was been subsiding in affected areas except those near rivers, such as Yom River in Pong district and Rong Chang River in Dok Kham Tai District.

Officials in Chiang Rai said that despite a drop in the water level, several areas beside main rivers were still at risk of flooding. Pan, Weing Pa Pao, Mae Saruay and Thung districts were severely affected, with damage to more than 6,000 homes and 1,000 rai of farmland, but no deaths were reported.

In Nan, two districts were flooded and roads connecting several villages were cut off.

After returning from his trip to the South yesterday, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra flew to the North in the evening to observe the flood situation.

--The Nation 2005-08-15

[udon]

Happy Jack and others, thanks for posting the photos, there hasn't been any mention of floods in CM here in Aus so far.

[george]

Bangkok Post version:

Four dead in northern floods

Central Chiang Mai a chest-deep lake

CHIANG MAI: -- Downtown Chiang Mai became a chest-deep lake in the worst flooding the province has seen in many years, while four people died and six rafters were reported missing yesterday in torrential water run-off in Mae Hong Son.

Heavy flooding forced evacuations in many parts of the northernmost provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son. At Chiang Mai's tourist magnets, the Night Bazaar and Varoros Market, vendors raced to move their stock to higher ground but many were unable to beat the rapid surge of water.

The floods are seasonal, but came early this year.

The main thoroughfares in Chiang Mai's central business district such as Chang Klan and Charoen Prathet were submerged. The water reached one metre high in some spots.

Municipal relief workers handed out sandbags to waterfront residents. Strong currents surged in the Ping river, the province's main waterway, which was predicted to rise by another 10-40 centimetres to five metres.

Housing estates near the airport were submerged under neck-deep water. Flat-bottom boats were sent out to rescue stranded residents. Schools on the Ping river banks were closed for two days starting today.

Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop toured the flooded provinces and said Chiang Mai's economy would take a battering. The flood water threatened to overflow to downstream districts of San Patong, Chom Thong and Hod. Chiang Mai's flood prevention plan would be reviewed, he said.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in the province to inspect the damage and handed out relief supplies to residents.

Anant Siripappokil, village headman of Ban Dong Palan in Mae Tang district of Chiang Mai, said more than 100 houses were under water. Main roads were impassable and only one boat was available to take the sick out of the village, which had received no help from the province.

Chiang Mai governor Suwat Tantipipat told the prime minister that 10 districts, 56 tambons and 174 villages were flooded. The Ping river level at the main Naovarat Bridge topped 4.9 metres, the highest in 40 years.

The State Railway of Thailand cancelled its Chiang Mai-bound trains yesterday as water surged 30 centimetres above the 20km tracks between Chiang Mai and Sarapee stations.

The governor said rain in some areas had let up and the flood appeared to be stabilising. A man, Alongkarn Jampathong, 32, was killed and seven people critically injured in an accident while attempting to flee water run-off from the mountains.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand said the impact on tourism would be minimal and short-lived although revenue from the sale of souvenirs would fall since the Night Bazaar was one of the better-known shopping attractions in Chiang Mai.

The government says Mae Hong Son was worst hit. Large areas of farmland were devastated in Pai, Pang Mapa and Muang districts. Mr Suwat said Pai district was a sea of mud and damage was put at one billion baht. More than 3,000 rai of farmland, seven tambons and 62 villages were inundated. A 47-year-old woman, Chantra Unmuang, of tambon Wiang Tai, drowned after floods swept her away. Twenty-seven people were injured.

In Pang Mapa district, a schoolboy from Pang Mapa Vitthayasan School and a 39-year-old man were killed in the flood. Six people are also missing after they went rafting.

The Mae Hong Son-Pai road and bridges connecting at least four villages were cut off. Wilas Pusilp, Mae Hong Son assistant governor, said damage to property and farmland in the three districts exceeded 120 million baht.

Mae Hong Son governor Supoj Laowansiri said as rainfall eased, water in the Pai river was falling back.

Helicopters would airdrop foodstuffs and drinking water to isolated areas, and sirens would be installed at villages at risk of flash floods and mudslides.

Uthai Luechai, Mae Saruay district chief, expected the Lao river, which bore the brunt of the downpour and persistent run-off from neighbouring Chiang Mai to begin receding today.

People living near the river in Muang district were told to prepare to evacuate.

--Bangkok Post 2005-08-15

[jomama]

Situation's about the same south of town as it was yesterday. Our road is blocked both to the north and south. Water continues to pour from the river in places, following side sois down into the nearby village area. The local wat is flooded.

The owner of our compound said the authorities opened Mae Ngat Dam at 2 a.m. What we now have is not "local" rainwater but that from the dam and areas upstream. It has not rained here significantly since Saturday. Still one has the feeling things could dry up a lot today -- that the worst is over.

I remain trapped at home with intermmitant phone service. Ah well, got me wife, electricity and plenty of food -- and our house didn't flood. Much worse for many others.

Three survey helicopters just flew over the area...

[ovenman]

I just made a quick loop motorbike ride north of town, across both the outer and middle ring road bridges over the Ping. The river looks about as wide as it did yesterday afternoon, but to my untrained eye the water appeared to be much more placid and not raging as it was yesterday afternoon.

[jomama]

A picture of the river south of town at 9:30 Monday. Wat Kun Kam across the Ping.

[jomama]

River Road to the north -- flooded for about 1/2 kilometer.

[harpman88]

What I don't understand is with the large amount of canals Thais build, why they still get flooding? I think the main problem is controlling the opening of dams and flood gates across the country and co-ordinating all this. Anyone any knowledge of this, as I would be interested to know more why it doesn't work

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Water can only be pumped/drained out at a certain rate per hour,if rainfall exceeds these capabilities long enough,flooding occurs. I lived in New Orleans for over 20 years and despite the pumps/drainage canals they have ,if it rains long and hard enough flooding is inevitable. On May 8,1995 some areas of the city were under several feet of water before the rain finally stopped..I just left Chiang Mai last week for a 2 month stint in the U.S. Just missed out on a May 8 redo it looks like!

[jomama]

Rapids on the Ping, Monday morning.

[jomama]

OK, last one: We call him the "Toothless Man" -- always a ready smile, regardless no teeth or whatever adversity. Has a VERY local shop down the road. His two houses flooded in the back. Pictured with one of his sons.

[wimpy]

In the Nong Hoi district the water has dropped about 7" from last night's peak. Hope the trend continues.

[jomama]

Just tried to make a "break-out" to the north on the motorbike. Water almost covered the tires to the top. Bike kept running even when inudated, but it got even deeper and had to turn back.

The river has breached its banks completely and is freely flowing into the moo bahns (housing estates) near the superhighway. Never seen this before. While the surrounding areas are drying out a bit because of sunshine and no rain, the river just keeps coming. No question they must have opened the dam floodgates upriver.

The novelty of this is now wearing thin...especially for the Thai people we know who have been hardest hit. I'm starting to get "cabin fever."

[bggg]

Just jumped to the end to see if any new news so I apologize if this has been said. Several friends live in Palm Springs Moo Baan. Our other friends are taking families out in a blow up dingy. I don't know how deep it is. Another friend who has a guest house on the river said they indeed openef the dam at Mae Taeng Sat as it was about to burst. Don't think they informed folks down river before they did it tho, TIT

[The_Doctor]

Thanks for the news and updates - please keep them coming... There's a lot of conflicting information out here as to whether its getting better or worse. I got out in my car early enough this morning so I'm at work, but have got to decide whether to risk taking my car back home or whether to leave it at work... If its as bad as or worse than this morning, then I'm walking!

For those trapped with cabin fever - is it getting better? worse? or the same?

[wimpy]

For those trapped with cabin fever - is it getting better? worse? or the same?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The water continues to slowly recede in Nong Hoi.

[Ketje]

Here in Padaet, about 1 meter water in my garden and in the Soi, impossible to leave the house.

BUT .... water level has stopped to raise around 2PM and even seems to recede.

Lucky me : another 5cm and water would have reach my house.

Unfortunately, others haven't been so lucky.

[ufkenmill]

Just to update you on the plight of the orphans stuck in Nong Hoi. They're OK but they're still stuck there as the water hasn't receded enough for them to leave. The government set up an emergency coordination center and is taking food to anyone who is stuck using military infantry trucks.

We just came back from the center after again unsuccessfully trying to bring the kids food. They are pretty well organized and have a representative for each tambon taking names and addresses of those that may need help.

We gave them the info and they used the infantry carriers to bring food and supplies to them and also anyone else in nong hoi area.

If you need help, the coordination center is behind tesco off superhighway at the physical education college. It's in the gymnasium and the govt is supplying food and water to anyone who is stranded.

The phone # is 053 259 199 but you may not be able to get through and you also need to speak thai as they most likely don't have english speaking staff there. Your best bet is to just go there.

Here's a link to the latest news story from google news search bot

http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Thai-c...l?oneclick=true

The river is still basically at the same height as yesterday but some of the street flooding has been drained in some areas. Near wararot market you can drive up to the rivers edge but changklan is still flooded. Now that some of the waters are gone it's left a mud sludge all over the streets. Best bet is to just avoid the whole chiang mai inner city district near the river.

I'm pretty impressed with the response of the Thai govt though, they have a pretty well organized rescue center set up and have been delivering food all day. Also, for those who said there was no warning you're just wrong. On Thai radio they were giving warnings since last thursday night and if you search google news you'll see stories from August 2nd talking about how flooding in this area is expected.

[peterdigger]

I have lived in Chiangmai for twenty years - this is the second such flood I have seen in that time. Thais especially government officials are regrettably lazy buggers and no one has ever heard of a levy bank here. I come from a town in Oz which used to be wiped out regularly by floods, that is until the local council built huge dykes and walls around the city area in 1989. Last month it came again (the water) in my ex-home town and zero damage. We had a saying in the army, prior preparation and planning prevents piss poor performance, or PPPPPP. TIT.

[watdot]

I had to leave my home yesterday as water was up to my waist and still rising. I live on a soi off Lamphun Road near The Cottage Bar. Does anyone know what the situation is right now?

A friend's house in Chaing Mai Land is totally flooded and a lot of valuables destroyed, and while i'm on other side of town i'm expecting the worst as my house is really near the Ping and as i said the water level was stil rising as i left yesterday around lunchtime.

[jaloochapurr]

Here are some more pictures of the worst.

[Happy Jack]

New photos taken at 5.30 pm tonight of Chiang Mai Night bazaar area have been added at www.thaichange.com/cm_flood.htm The water has gone down about 50cm. Loi Kroh above Duangtawan is now clear. A lot of damage left behind though. Water is still draining from Night Bazaar area. I've been asked to forward the following message:

THE ARMY is collecting water and food - especially clean drinking water which is needed desperately by the flood victims in the chiang mai area.

PLEASE DONATE WATER OR FOOD AT THE CHIANG MAI MUNICIPLE STADIUM

Directions:

From Chang Puak Gate - head north along Chang Puak road (as if heading towards Mae Rim).

Prior to the turn off for Rimping Supermarket / Nova Hotel -

IT IS TURN RIGHT FROM CHIANG PUAK ROAD INTO RATTANAKOSIN ROAD TURN

continue along that road about half a mile and the stadium is on the left.

for further directions - please call me

I went down there today - and there are alot of ARMY and other volunteers.

PLEASE PASS THIS ON TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS - it has been advertised in the Thai press - but most foreigners do not know about it

[lamphun]

The missus made 50 boxes of rice and curry this afternoon which we sent to the stadium. Drinking water is probabley just as important.

I'm told there still one meter of water as San Pakoy market.