Talking, Crying Good For Stress Relief.

[Lite Beer]

FLOOD CRISIS

Talking, crying good for stress relief

By The Nation on Sunday

Health Ministry survey finds more than 270 at risk of suicide

The Public Health Ministry yesterday advised flood-affected people to talk to others or to allow themselves to cry to release tension. They were also advised to refrain from drinking alcohol, which increases the risk of drowning in floods.

The advice came after mobile medical teams in 23 flood-hit provinces found 20,317 people under stress, 1,644 others suffering depression and 276 people at risk of suicide. It was also reported that about 5,000 people fell ill per day due to flood-related illnesses, the ministry said.

The 24/7 Emergency Operation Centre for Flooding, Storms and Landslides yesterday reported that floods continued to ravage 26 provinces, affecting 1.4 million people. The death toll rose to 102 cases and two missing persons.

Authorities urged seven Chao Phraya River basin provinces to heighten flood barriers. A resident of Nakhon Ratchasima drowned in the Wang Moung Reservoir in Prathai district yesterday while trying to fish in shallow waters there, while the body of a 36-year-old woman in Roi Et's Phanom Phrai district was found yesterday after she was swept away by the flood on Friday.

Deputy Public Health Minister Torpong Chaiyasarn, who visited and gave basic medicine to flood victims in Udon Thani, expressed concern over the mental health of those living in prolonged flood conditions or in areas of heavy mudslides. These include Uttaradit's Nam Pat district, where seven were killed nine days ago.

Over-stressed people, if not taken care of, could commit suicide, he said, urging flood victims to accept the truth and let go of what they have lost because this was a natural disaster that none could stop and affected many people. Advising people to be positive and hopeful for the future, and to take good care of their health, he said they should talk with someone or cry to ease the suffering. He said the mobile medical teams' mental health assessment of 29,126 people in 23 flood-hit provinces from July to September 16 found 20,317 people under stress - 5 per cent of whom were under "tremendous" stress - while 1,644 others were depressed and 276 people were at risk of suicide.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri, who visited and provided 4,800 relief bags to Ayutthaya flood victims yesterday, urged health officials to prepare by protecting hospitals, stockpiling medical supplies, transporting patients and adjusting medical services as the Chao Phraya River would rise by 10cm-15cm tomorrow and Tuesday. He said the mobile medical teams in 54 flood-hit provinces found that a cumulative total of 233,996 patients - which increased by 5,000 cases per day - suffered from flood-related illnesses including Hong Kong Foot, flu, rashes and stress, but so far there was no disease outbreak. He said the ministry had sent 700,000 medical supply sets and 126,000 tubes of Hong Kong Foot ointment to help flood victims, and prepared another 500,000 sets and 100,000 tubes of Hong Kong Foot ointment for the central administration.

As Thailand's dengue fever watch found 48,760 patients and 35 deaths so far this year, Witthaya urged provinces - especially flood-hit ones - to beware of mosquito-borne diseases. He spoke while presiding over the anti-dengue fever campaign in Lat Bua Luang district, where he gave 6,000 handbooks and 8,000 sachets of larvicidal Abate sand - which prevents mosquitoes from laying and nursing eggs - to the local authorities.

In Uttaradit's Nam Pat district, public health officials were dispatched yesterday to investigate a possible diarrhoea outbreak after four Huai Niam residents fell ill with the disease.

In Angthong, stress over prolonged floodwater that had become polluted and gave off a foul smell prompted a fistfight over torn-down sandbag barriers Friday night. Police yesterday arrested three men who allegedly wanted to drain floodwater out of their homes and beat up two security volunteers who guarded the barriers and a plain-clothes policeman who tried to intervene.

Authorities in Phichit dismissed what they said were rumours that three sections of flood barrier in Mueang Phichit Municipality had broken. But residents lamented other flood woes. "There's not enough grass for cows and the boats are now very expensive, at Bt6,000-Bt7,000, up from the usual Bt3,000-Bt4,000," said Sammai Janthra, 63.

Defence Minister General Yuthasak Sasiprapha visited Nan's Wiang Sa district's flood victims and checked damaged rice fields, which he said might be restored using a new method to be presented to the prime minister on October 12, when she will visit the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc).

Flooding also affected northern ancient sites such as Lamphun's Wat Chaing Yeun, whose 50-metre-long section of wall was damaged. The Fine Arts Department asked for a Bt700,000 budget to repair it. Chiang Mai's Wat Doi Suthep pagoda was threatened by a landslide at its northeastern corner; the department would ask for Bt29 million to strengthen the whole site. Culture Minister Sukumol Kunplome was slated to visit Phitsanulok's Chan Palace today. The palace has been submerged.

In related news, Bangkok deputy governor Pornthep Techapaiboon, who inspected rain-triggered floods at two housing estates in the Nong Khaem area, said that many housing estates had drainage problems as their pipe systems often clogged and were located lower than the city's system. The city cannot solve the problem because the estates are private, Pornthep said.

Pornthep instructed the city's drainage office to install water pumps to drain floodwater into the Phasi Charoen Canal.

In the long term, the city will re-pipe the drainage system and excavate the clogged pipes, he said, adding that there should be legal amendments to allow the city to solve flood problems along with the private sector at the estates.

-- The Nation 2011-09-18