Thailand 2011 Flood - Big Or Small?

[ExpatOilWorker]

I was wondering how the current flood compare in size to past floods. The only hard number we have is the 14 billion m3 accumulated north of Bangkok. How much was there in 1942, '83 and '95?

Anybody good at doing a historical search on Google?

From the below report, it looks like the 1995 flood was pretty bad. "68 provinces and 4.2 million people affected"

(http://reliefweb.int/node/33579)

ThailandThailand - Floods Information Report No.1

Report—UN Department of Humanitarian Affairs Ref: DHAGVA - 95/0503

SITUATION

1. THE INFLUENCE OF LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS OVER THE NORTHERN PART OF THAILAND COMBINED WITH THE EFFECTS OF A SERIES OF TROPICAL STORMS PASSING THROUGH THE COUNTRY FROM THE SOUTH CHINA SEA HAVE CAUSED INCESSANT HEAVY RAINS SINCE JULY 1995, LEADING TO THE OCCURRENCE OF FLASH FLOODS AND SUDDEN ONRUSHES OF WATER FROM THE FORESTS, AFFECTING THE NORTHERN, NORTHEASTERN, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN REGIONS OF THAILAND.

2. AS OF 26 OCTOBER, 68 OUT OF 76 PROVINCES HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. POPULATION AFFECTED ARE 4.224 MILLION PERSONS OR 1.153 MILLION FAMILIES. 56,984 PERSONS OR 17,024 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN EVACUATED. TOTAL OF 231 LIVES HAVE BEEN LOST.

3. DAMAGE TO THE PUBLIC UTILITIES IS: 17,200 ROADS; 1,008 BRIDGES; 1,168 TEMPLES; 1,318 MINES, DAMS AND DYKES; 1,121 SCHOOLS; AND 296 GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS. DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURAL LAND IS 1.336 MILLION HA. 829,439 LIVESTOCK WAS LOST. 31,902 FISH PONDS/SHRIMP FARMS WERE DESTROYED.

4. ESTIMATES OF FLOOD DAMAGE AMOUNT ABOUT USD 140.5 MILLION OR 3,526 MILLION BAHT, COMPRISING OF PUBLIC UTILITIES USD 54.6 MILLION; AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES USD 85.9 MILLION.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

5. GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN SO FAR PROVIDING EMERGENCY RELIEF ASSISTANCE, AMOUNTING TO ABOUT USD 22.5 MILLION OR 565.4 MILLION BAHT.

6. FLOOD-AFFECTED PROVINCES HAVE SET UP RELIEF CENTRES WITH FULL COOPERATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES SUCH AS PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION, PUBLIC WELFARE, ACCELERATED RURAL DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC WORKS, RED CROSS CENTRES, ARMY, POLICE, VOLUNTEERS OF CIVIL DEFENCE AND VARIOUS FOUNDATIONS.

7. RESIDENTS IN FLOOD-STRICKEN AREAS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED TO SAFER, DRIER AREAS. FOOD AND CLOTHING HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED. FIRST AID AND MEDICAL ATTENTION HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE SICK. HOMES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED WHERE REPAIRABLE, DYKES BUILT TO PREVENT FLASH FLOODS AND DREDGES DUG UP TO HELP DRAIN THE WATER.

8. GOVERNMENT HAS NOT MADE AN APPEAL FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. DHA/UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR MONITORS SITUATION. TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-1234

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY: TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-2010

DESK OFFICER: MR. Y. FUKASAWA, DIRECT TELEPHONE NO. +41-22-917-3131

PRESS TO CONTACT: MS. M. MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL. +41-22-917-2856

TELEX: 414242 DHA CH

[ExpatOilWorker]

OK, now we know..................nobody cares!!!!!!!!!!!

[Crossy]

OK, now we know..................nobody cares!!!!!!!!!!!

Dunno, all I care about is the 2m in the restaurant and 1.5m on the house construction site

We knew that we would flood, it's one of the penalties of having river views, so we designed the house with that in mind, but the current levels are significantly higher than anyone in the village remembers.

Now, where's that ex German navy submarine?