Floods In Thailand Kill At Least 98 People

[webfact]

At least 98 people killed by floods

By The Nation

Angthong and Nakhon Sawan are still faced with heavy flooding, holding both extra rain water and flood water travelling southward from the upper North.

The average flood level in Angthong is at 1 to 2 metres, especially in urban areas, where schools and markets are closed.

School staff and teachers shuttle between dry areas transporting school supplies all day, and amidst darkness at night following shortages of electricity.

A water gate in neighbouring Sing Buri broke Thursday night, flooding a vast area and 220 homes in Pho Thong district of Angthong.

In Lop Buri, where stagnant flooding remains for three days after flash floods receded, survival kits presented by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana were handed out to floodaffected villagers in Ban Mi district.

A swelling Chao Phraya River section in Nakhon Sawan is breaching many long areas of riverside flood embankment walls, prompting hectic emergency repairs using military and volunteer personnel, together with the evacuation of people and transport of belongings in other residential areas and flooded government centres.

A Royal Irrigation Department statement warned of rising rivers and flash floods in riverside areas in 10 provinces from Nakhon Sawan down to Bangkok, after likely swelling during coming peak tides.

There are 173 government clinics inundated, most of them small and at the community level. There are 233,996 people seeking treatment or being treated with five most frequently found diseases: foot infections, colds, muscle pains, rashes and skin diseases, and stress.

An official damage report update released yesterday said there were 195 deaths and two going missing, and 1,148,250 people affected, in 29 provinces still facing flooding.

There were now around 4.8 million rai of farmland and more than 54,000 rai of fish ponds and shrimp farms inundated.

Of those killed, 73 of them drowned, two hit by felling trees, 15 in mudslides and 15 through electrocution.

-- The Nation 2011-09-17

[Maeklong]

What percentage of the Thai population knows how to swim?

I believe the percentage would not be high, especially among older people.

People don't understand the force of moving water, and when their feet are swept out from under them, they don't have the skills to keep their heads above water.

Even just knowing how to tread water is better than nothing.

Now that this seems to be happening every year, educating people how to deal with the risks of flooding should be a priority.

[tigermonkey]

"Of those killed, 73 of them drowned, two hit by felling trees, 15 in mudslides and 15 through electrocution. " It is criminal that 15 die of electrocution in flood conditions -- it is entirely avoidable -- you simply turn off the electricity in the area that is flooded.!

Edited September 17, 2011 by tigermonkey

[mahtin]

two hit by felling trees

Not the moment for levity, but visions of lunatic lumberjacks with electric chainsaws...

[billd766]

We had a flash flood in the main village of Klong Lan on Monday.

It is the first time in the 8 years that I have been that this has happened.

The local klong of a couple of metres wide and 50cm deep and is about 200 metres from the village over flowed and became about 300 metres wide and the flood water was up to the doors on my 4WD pickup truck.

It took me 20 minutes or so to drive 400 metres to get through it. The alternative was about 90 km around the outside.

[billd766]

We had a flash flood in the main village of Klong Lan on Monday.

It is the first time in the 8 years that I have been that this has happened.

The local klong of a couple of metres wide and 50cm deep and is about 200 metres from the village over flowed and became about 300 metres wide and the flood water was up to the doors on my 4WD pickup truck.

It took me 20 minutes or so to drive 400 metres to get through it. The alternative was about 90 km around the outside.

Yesterday there was a visit from either the governor of Khampaeng Phet or somebody from the central government.

Whatever there were about 10 Fortuners, 15 minibuses and a load of pickup trucks with assorted local and imported police and security guys in blue uniforms having a looksee and poke and prod and probably a free lunch at somebodies expense.

If they actually do something useful then good for them. If not, then no change there.

[londonthai]

"report update released yesterday said there were 195 deaths and two going missing"

ups, the title says "Kill At Least 98 People". Editorial mistake