Devastated Korat Unprepared For More Flooding

[webfact]

Devastated Korat unprepared for more flooding

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

Since flash floods hit the Northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima seven months ago, destroying homes, farms, and public facilities, measures to prevent further damage during this year's rainy season have not been fully implemented.

At the same time, local residents remain haunted by the flood nightmare amid rumours that more flash floods could hit the city if water is released from a nearby dam.

"I am afraid the floods will come again in the near future," 55yearold Nakhon Ratchasima native Somrong Chobrak said, as she inspected water stains still visible on her wall, seven months after last year's disaster.

"Last year's flood was my worst memory in 24 years I have spent here," she added.

Her twostorey house, near Saint Mary's Hospital, was severely damaged by the city's worst flooding in 50 years. The hospital was surrounded by floodwater for almost two weeks.

The first floor of her house, which served as a small shop, was devastated.

"The flash flood came very quickly and we could not move anything upstairs to avoid the water," she said.

Somrong spent more than a month restoring her house. The government gave her just Bt5,000 in compensation. But this was not enough to rebuild her house.

Even though the government instructed the Army to send soldiers to help floodaffected victims rebuild their damaged houses, they worked with the victims only for a few days before heading to the Southern provinces that were also hit by flooding.

"Only schoolboys and temple boys came to help us," she said.

Her house is still not completely fixed. Somrong has had to gradually repair the building bit by bit.

And she has had no time to prepare herself for this year's floods.

Close by, Saint Mary's Hospital is building concrete walls 2.5metres high to prevent floodwater from flowing into the hospital compound. Last year the previous concrete wall, about 1.8 meters tall, was unable to protect the building.

The hospital is also building a concrete wall around the generator, which is the heart of hospital operations, said staff member Wirat Khorphueng.

Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital was also hit by the floods. Faced by one metre of floodwater, it had to shut operations for a week.

Floods have damaged the hospital's washing machines and kitchen equipment, among other things. The damage was estimated at no less than Bt73 million, which does not include damage to its Bt50million Cobalt60 Teletherapy Unit.

Fortunately, medical devices and drugs were not destroyed by the flood, deputy director Dr Suwannee Tangweerapornpong said.

Two weeks ago, the hospital finally received Bt60 million in compensation from the government.

She said the hospital was building a threekilometre concrete wall around the hospital to protect it from floods.

"So far, we have built just one kilometre," she said.

Moreover, the hospital has prepared a plan to handle all flood scenarios.

"The Nakhon Ratchasima governor will send us an early warning flood message. Immediately after that the hospital will ask a private company producing oxygen to send us two oxygen tanks within 24 hours to continue medical treatment," she said.

She said the old flood warning system didn't do its job.

Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima Public Works and Town & Country Planning Department head Anukul Sangthongchai said his agency was planning works to prevent floods such as building drainage tunnels along roads and constructing reservoirs.

But the plan has not been implemented. The government hasn't allocated the budget to support it yet.

"We're not sure whether we'll be able to handle the flood situation this year or not," he said.

-- The Nation 2011-06-17

[olivier2553]

"At the same time, local residents remain haunted by the flood nightmare amid rumours that more flash floods could hit the city if water is released from a nearby dam."

I must say I have difficulty to understand the way dams are used to mitigate floods. It seems to me that proper way would to slowly release water during dry season, so that when the rain comes, the dam s ready and empty, it can store most of the flood water and avoid problems.

But what I understand is that the dams are kept full for as long as possible, and water is released only during rainy season.

[anotheruser]

"At the same time, local residents remain haunted by the flood nightmare amid rumours that more flash floods could hit the city if water is released from a nearby dam."

I must say I have difficulty to understand the way dams are used to mitigate floods. It seems to me that proper way would to slowly release water during dry season, so that when the rain comes, the dam s ready and empty, it can store most of the flood water and avoid problems.

But what I understand is that the dams are kept full for as long as possible, and water is released only during rainy season.

Yes, because that is how dams generate electricity. To make the turbines turn to power the lights in places like Bangkok the dams must be full. The only reason an engineer would release water is if they think the dam might be breached.

I forgot to add that conversely if a dam has too much water it is released downstream.

Edited June 17, 2011 by anotheruser

[sirchai]

She said the old flood warning system didn't do its job.

Like the educational system and politicians? :jap:

[edgarfriendly]

60 million baht and all we've managed to build is 1km of 2.5m wall.... where there was already 1.8m of wall.

is that 0.7m on top?

ef

[Foggy Bottom]

60 million baht and all we've managed to build is 1km of 2.5m wall.... where there was already 1.8m of wall.

is that 0.7m on top?

ef

Two different hospitals - the one elevating the wall height is located about 1 Km WNW of the NW corner of the city moat, whereas the other is about 1 Km north of the mid-point of the north wall of the old city.

St Mary's sits in what now looks like a basin about 2 metres lower than the Khon Kaen road (which runs past Makro) but is actually at the original ground surface level, which is the same level as the Ampawan district further west that bore the brunt of the in-city flooding last year.

Maharat is at the same level as surrounding roads in an area very slightly uphill of where St Mary's is located.

The really destructive flooding was actually just outside the city to the NW of Ampawan, extending out for almost 20Km, and included my wife's family's village, where up to 4 metres of water sat in the fields for almost three weeks. Many newly resurfaced arterial roads were undermined by the water flow, which at one point formed a shallow river across the fields and was almost 4 Km wide, and flowed for nearly 5 days with a depth up to one metre across the elevated main road between the fields.

The engineering failure was due to the old "we've always done it there and that way" mentality. Instead of re-evaluating drainage needs based on the changing urban and rural land uses, the original medieval/renaissance systems of dyke and ditch are being perpetuated, in the same locations and courses, with no thought for the increased surface-water run-off (reduced surface absorption) caused by all the concrete and tarmac.

The entirety of Thailand needs to re-evaluate and re-develop it's storm drainage systems based on the last half century of intense buildings and roadways construction - Chiangmai discovered that in 2005, and has done some substantial work towards it, most other cities have not.

Edited to fix typos

Edited June 17, 2011 by Foggy Bottom

[JurgenG]

"At the same time, local residents remain haunted by the flood nightmare amid rumours that more flash floods could hit the city if water is released from a nearby dam."

I must say I have difficulty to understand the way dams are used to mitigate floods. It seems to me that proper way would to slowly release water during dry season, so that when the rain comes, the dam s ready and empty, it can store most of the flood water and avoid problems.

But what I understand is that the dams are kept full for as long as possible, and water is released only during rainy season.

One thing not to forget is the previous year we had a very dry year. I never saw my ponds so empty, it was really worrying. So I guess they kept the water as long as possible just it case it would be needed later. It makes sense to release the water during the rainy season when you're sure that enough rain is falling to cover the needs of the area.