Chinese dam risks flooding Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: Mekong River communities in Chiang Rai have been warned to brace for floods after an upstream dam in China began discharging increased levels of water.

The Marine Department yesterday (September 20) told people living in Chiang Saen district to prepare to move their belongings and evacuate at short notice.

Songglod Duanghakloang, director of the 1st regional Marine Office in Chiang Rai, said the Mekong River stood at 5.5m on Friday (September 19) but had risen by an additional 30cm yesterday due to heavy rainfall and the volume of water coming from the Jinghong Dam in China.

"We are still monitoring how water from the dam in China will affect the Mekong River," Mr Songglod said. "As far as I know, more water is going to be discharged from the dam shortly."

Mr Songglod said two villages in tambon Vieng of Chiang Saen district are already flooded due to heavy rainfall.

Locals in other parts of the district reacted to the flood warning with panic, amid speculation that the Chinese dam could discharge water at the rate of 9,000 cubic metres per second, due to heavy rainfall in the upper Mekong region.

Villagers said they feared such huge amounts of water would inundate the district.

Rangsan Kwanmaungderm, senior assistant district chief in Chiang Saen, said he ordered village chiefs to closely monitor water levels in the river.

"Floods are inevitable if the water level in the Mekong reaches 7.3m," Mr Rangsan said.

Elsewhere, floods that had blighted the Thai-Myanmar border market in Mae Sai district since Thursday (September 18) appeared to have eased yesterday, allowing business to resume.

However, locals still fear a new round of floods because torrential rain continues to batter the Myanmar side of the border.

Chatchai Bhromlert, chief of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, said extreme weather conditions off the back of Typhoon Kalmaegi caused damage to 77 villages in eight provinces.

The situation in the provinces — Prachin Buri, Trat, Ranong, Bung Kan, Nan, Sa Kaeo, Chiang Rai and Kalasin — has now returned to normal, he said.

Elsewhere in the country, floods persist in low-lying parts of Sukhothai, Phichit and Phitsanulok provinces, with 103 villages inundated.

Rising water levels in the Chao Phraya River meanwhile hit Sena and Pak Hai districts in Ayutthaya province, leaving 441 homes under water.

Heavy floods in Krabi province last night killed 20,000 chickens in a farm in Klong Thom district. The waters also damaged 10 houses, as well as palm and rubber trees.

Heavy rain in Nakhon Ratchasima province has boosted local reservoirs.

Lampraloeng reservoir now stands at 33 per cent capacity, Lamtakong reservoir at 46 per cent, Lam Sae reservoir at 63 per cent, and Moon Boon at 72 per cent.

-- Phuket News 2014-09-21

Made in China... seldom a reason for jumping in joy...

Lots of fuss ---- but no real info ----- lots of might be, maybe etc. The discharge quoted for Jinghong is not unusual.

Only one thing for certain: the chinese just don't give a damn.