Floods create havoc across southern Thai region

[webfact]

Floods create havoc across southern region



NARATHIWAT: -- Floods continue to cause havoc across the southern region as more rains are expected this weekend. Hardest hit now is reported in Narathiwat with water level rising.

In Narathiwat province, water in the Su-ngai Kolok river overflowed its banks and swept through communities in Waeng district.

The flash flood caused huge damage to local properties as most residents were caught unprepared.

The floodwater was expected to flow to the already-flooded Su-ngai Kolok district.

Local people in the district were warned to prepare for the rising floodwater level.

Meanwhile the seized palm oil carrier, which moored on a beach in Narathiwat province, began to sink after huge waves and strong wind slammed the vessel on rocks on the beach, tearing a hole under the vessel. 2.7 million litre of palm oil began to leak from the Indonesia-registered vessel into the sea.

The vessel, which had been hijacked and stolen from pirates, was seized by the Royal Thai Navy late last month.

Floods also caused landslides on the road from Yala to Betong on three sections, Kms 22, 24 and 26, stranding people travelling on this southern most road to the Malaysian border.

Workers are hastily removing rocks and soils to reopen the road to traffic again today.

Eight houses were damaged in one of the landslide case.

Meanwhile in Yala province, the town remained submerged under floodwater with Mueang and Raman districts being the hardest hit areas from the inundation.

Some 35,000 people were affected by the flooding in the province.

In Than Tho district, a landslide occurred on a highway No 410, felling trees and power poles and spilling mud on the road surface.

Another mudslide also occurred in a local village but no death and injury were reported.

At the same time, local authorities were worrying about the rising water level of the Bang Lang dam.

The 1,420 million cubic meter dam, located on the Pattani river, was nearly full and the authorities had to warn people in Yala and Pattani provinces that they might have to release water from the dam.

The Rajaprajanugroh Foundation under royal patronage has distributed flood-relief bags to 4,037 households in five flood-hit districts.

In Phatthalung province, three more districts were declared disaster areas affected by severe flood, making the total number of districts declared disaster areas to nine.

Officials were dispatched to inspect flood damage in order to prepare assistance for the victims.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/floods-create-havoc-across-southern-region


-- Thai PBS 2014-12-25

[JungleBoy2]

So the NAVY (Water experts) had the ship for a month and it was still full of palm oil?

The boat was not in a safe place when it was destroyed by the little storm( No monsoon, or typhoon).

Probably no one will be responsible for the consequences. "Wasn't My job!"

Good thing it wasn't an oil tanker with crude oil. Palm oil, hopefully, even though already processed, is nowhere

near as destructive as the black gooey stuff.

[DeepInTheForest]

1) May as well get used to it, as much as is possible. While no one event can be pinned on global warming, these extreme weather events will increase with the rise in ocean temperature/heat energy. Witness the recent recurring typhoons devastating the Philippines.

2) The costs will make it obvious that we would have been better off to keep fossil fuels in the ground for use at a later date. In fact, this is still something we should do. That, of course, is not the path favored by large transnational companies and the economic establishment, who have collared the US government-- causing the biggest obstacle to progress on the issue.

3) The biggest costs will be borne by the poor and lower classes of the world, who do not possess the resources to avoid weather disasters. This makes it all the more imperative that taxation of wealthy individuals and corporatins in order to address social issues should be reimposed. (The current tax-dodging is over-the-top.) As wealth inequalities have increased globally, social and environmental priorities and concerns have gone down the toilet.

[phuketsub]

Rather than turn this into a political debate, maybe it would be better if forum users just reported what the situation is like in their areas. I'll start.

In Songkhla Town I haven't noticed any major flooding. Erosion along Samila Beach has been severe in recent weeks and about half of the sand they deposited there to prevent erosion is gone. One pine tree down, with more to go I reckon.

In Ranode, the main klong is just over the brim and many of the stilted homes alongside it have water just inches below the floorboards. Most of the rice fields are fully flooded, but the roadways are not.

The situation at the mouth of Klong Ranode (where it drains into Songklha Lake) seems normal.

[Stocky]

Hat Yai City is fine - no flooding.

Warning flags on the Utaphao were back to green on Christmas Eve and river levels dropped by a metre over night.

[h90]

1) May as well get used to it, as much as is possible. While no one event can be pinned on global warming, these extreme weather events will increase with the rise in ocean temperature/heat energy. Witness the recent recurring typhoons devastating the Philippines.

2) The costs will make it obvious that we would have been better off to keep fossil fuels in the ground for use at a later date. In fact, this is still something we should do. That, of course, is not the path favored by large transnational companies and the economic establishment, who have collared the US government-- causing the biggest obstacle to progress on the issue.

3) The biggest costs will be borne by the poor and lower classes of the world, who do not possess the resources to avoid weather disasters. This makes it all the more imperative that taxation of wealthy individuals and corporatins in order to address social issues should be reimposed. (The current tax-dodging is over-the-top.) As wealth inequalities have increased globally, social and environmental priorities and concerns have gone down the toilet.

First the last 20 years there is no global warming. Second these floods happened even in the past, just in the past no one cared about some farmer in the south. Third, cutting the forest, closing the land with concrete and asphalt makes it much worse.

And as the King told: They built elevated roads everywhere in the south, but no or too less or blocked tubes under the roads, so the water can't freely run off to the beach, accumulates and breaches on the weakest point. Has nothing to do with global warming but with destroying the environment.

[h90]

Today in the morning in Nakhon Si Thammerat was heavy rain I got told....

[Lite Beer]

Pattani prepared for flooding

PATTANI, 27 December 2014 (NNT) -- Pattani Province is preparing for possible flooding from masses of water released from Banglang Dam a day earlier.

According to Governor Veerapong Kaewsuwan, residents in four districts -- Muang Pattani, Nong Jig, Mae Lan and Yarang-- have been warned to prepare for evacuation if the mass of water released from the dam causes the water level in the area to rise quickly.

He said a big mass of water from Banglang was expected to arrive at Pattani on Sunday, with Yarang being the first area to be hit. The governor said he planned to visit the district later today to discuss preparation plans .

Officers in charge of the overflowing Banglang dam began to discharge water at noon on Friday. They plan to release about 30 million cubic meters of water a day to prevent damage to the dam.

-- NNT 2014-12-27

[Lite Beer]

PM urges all Thais to help Southern people now hardest hit by floods

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday urged all Thais to help people in the flood-stricken southern provinces where flooding remain critical in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.

He also warned authorities to hand out flood aids with transparency, and all steps be free from corruption.

The prime minister made the call as he flew to inspect the flooded district of Tak Bai in Narathiwat province along with key government officials to follow up on the flood situation and the rescue operations in the area.

He said that his visit is considered one of his promises to take best care of the southern province of Thailand, and he will further discuss the flood situation with related sectors to find a solution for the situation, one that will not cause another problem after the existing is solved, as well as an effect relief effort.

The prime minister also distributed the survival bags to affected people.

He also expressed his concern for the safety and well-being of the Malaysian people who are also affected by the floods.

During the visit, he asked the people to refrain from inciting political tensions in the area.

Tak Bai district is said to suffer severest flooding.

Its chief district officer Somsak Sithiworakarn said that 13,279 persons from 4,432 households in 52 villages of 8 sub-districts in Tak Bai district has been affected by the flood, and the 8 sub districts have been designated as disaster areas where relief operations are urgent.

He said that this year’s southern flooding situation is considered the biggest and the most severe in 47 years, with the current water level at 2.4 meters above than the riverbank.

In wake of the flooding crisis, the flood disaster operations administration center of the Tak Bai district has been working with the local administrative organisation, army and police units, and the government agencies to solve the urgent problems and to provide initial assistance to the public by making sure that the people and their belongings are safe and nobody suffers from starvation.

Meanwhile the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department Director General Chatchai Promlert said 13 people have been killed in flooding in eight southern provinces since December 14 while five others injured.

The eight provinces are Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Trang.

Deputy Interior Minister Suthi Makbun said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department would speed up efforts to alleviate the flood victims.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-urges-thais-help-southern-people-now-hardest-hit-floods

-- Thai PBS 2014-12-27

[Lite Beer]

Deep South put on high flood alert

YALA: -- One of the worst floods in the Thailand-Malaysia border area in recent history is about to get worse.

Riverside residents in Yala and Pattani have been warned to brace for further floods as the authorities begin releasing water from Bang Lang Dam.

Deputy Yala governor Sayan Intaraphak called a meeting of officials to discuss disaster relief measures for locals after dam authorities decided to start discharging water yesterday.

Mr Sayan said rainfall between Dec 17 and yesterday increased water levels in the dam to 114.81 metres. The dam can hold water up to a maximum of 115m.

The dam now contains more than 1.44 billion cubic metres of water, or about 99.34% of its capacity, Mr Sayan said. It is important that water be discharged from the dam to ensure its safe operation, he said.

Nimuhammad Nuradin Wae, an engineer at the dam, said officials opened the dam's sluice gates around noon yesterday. The gates will release about 30 million cu m of water daily to protect the dam's structural integrity.

He said discharge from the dam will affect riverside communities on the banks of the Pattani River in Yala and Pattani.

Yala's Bannang Sata, Krong Pinang, and Muang districts are prone to flooding, he said.

The water from the dam is expected to reach Yala municipality about 10am today and enter Pattani tomorrow, Mr Nimuhammad said.

The mayor of Yala municipality, Pongsak Yingchoncharoen, said preparations are under way to assist people and protect economic areas in central Yala from the expected floods.

Locals in flood-prone areas have been warned to brace for the deluge, Mr Pongsak said, adding that officials are reinforcing flood walls and preparing sand bags for distribution.

Pattani governor Weerapong Kaewsuwan said the release of water from the Bang Lang Dam would affect people in Pattani's Muang, Yarang, Nong Chik and Mae Lan districts.

He advised people in low-lying areas on the banks of the Pattani River to evacuate and move their belongings and livestock to safe ground.

Residents in Yala gained temporary relief from the monsoon floods as rain eased off and water levels fell yesterday.

In Yala yesterday, floods covered just two districts, Muang Yala and Raman. Eight districts were earlier affected.

Between Dec 17 and Thursday, flooding and a landslide in Yala killed three people, injured two others and damaged 37 houses, three community hospitals, 27 schools, four mosques and 13,265 rai of farmland, according to the Yala flood relief and prevention centre.

The disaster has affected more than 97,000 people and caused the closure of 40 schools there.

In Pattani, hide tides caused the Pattani River to overflow its banks, inundating streets in the Pattani municipality area yesterday and prompting locals and traders to evacuate. The main road leading to central Pattani was also flooded.

In Surat Thani, torrential rain hit nearly the entire province. People living near areas prone to mudslides were told to evacuate.

Provincial disaster mitigation and prevention officer Thanakorn Trabanpruek said areas in eight districts of Surat Thani are at risk of mudslides. They are Chaiya, Tha Chang, Wiang Sa, Khiri Ratthanikhom, Wipawadi, Kanchanadit, Ban Na San and Ban Ta Khun.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, persistent downpours caused a huge rock to fall from Khao Wang mountain in Ron Phibun district on Thursday evening. No one was injured.

The rock obstructed one lane of a road leading to Ban Khao Wang village. Authorities were bringing in heavy machinery to remove it.

In Narathiwat province, areas by the Sungai Kolok River in Waeng, Tak Bai and Sungai Kolok districts remained flooded yesterday. Authorities in each district brought relief essentials, food and drinking water to those affected.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday visited flood victims in Tak Bai district of Narathiwat.

Before his trip, he said this year's rains were unusually heavy in the South, dumping 1,000 millimetres on the region in only 10 days, compared with the normal 1,500mm per year.

Fourth Army chief Prakan Chonlayuth briefed the prime minister on the flood situation in the far South. Lt Gen Prakan said more than 248,000 people from 85,443 families in 36 districts of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat have been affected by the flooding.

-- Phuket News 2014-12-27

[Thaiready]

1) May as well get used to it, as much as is possible. While no one event can be pinned on global warming, these extreme weather events will increase with the rise in ocean temperature/heat energy. Witness the recent recurring typhoons devastating the Philippines.

2) The costs will make it obvious that we would have been better off to keep fossil fuels in the ground for use at a later date. In fact, this is still something we should do. That, of course, is not the path favored by large transnational companies and the economic establishment, who have collared the US government-- causing the biggest obstacle to progress on the issue.

3) The biggest costs will be borne by the poor and lower classes of the world, who do not possess the resources to avoid weather disasters. This makes it all the more imperative that taxation of wealthy individuals and corporatins in order to address social issues should be reimposed. (The current tax-dodging is over-the-top.) As wealth inequalities have increased globally, social and environmental priorities and concerns have gone down the toilet.

Thanks for the liberal primer.

btw...are you telling us that flooding was unknown a few decades back?

..or typhoons?

You are free to send your money to Al Gore if you wish.

He will set things right.

Then again..maybe not.

+++++++ 1

[Don Aleman]

Several years ago I submitted to the administration that, possibly, flooding could not be stopped but misery could be lessened if the govt. stockpiled at various zones in danger MREs, ( meals ready to eat ), inexpensive plastic, flat bottomed boats and some of the floating toilets invented by a Thai university. As usual nothing was done and now the govt. asking other citizens to do the job they should have prepared for.

[Stocky]

Sunny today in Hat Yai, first sun we've seen in a week, and with a good breeze; should help dry things out.

[geoffP]

I can never understand why Thai "engineers" just love to exascerbate flooding problems by opening the sluice-gates. A dam is (supposed to be) designed to be FULL. Any excess water simply overflows and the crest of the dam has sections designed for just this. When there is no more excess, the overflow stops. Simple!

If they have to release water "to protect the dam's integrity" I would suggest the locals run for the hills, because they shouldn't trust that dam in any circumstances or any state of raining/not-raining.

Or maybe the "engineer" has to do-and-say something to justify his job?

[Doc46]

1) May as well get used to it, as much as is possible. While no one event can be pinned on global warming, these extreme weather events will increase with the rise in ocean temperature/heat energy. Witness the recent recurring typhoons devastating the Philippines.

2) The costs will make it obvious that we would have been better off to keep fossil fuels in the ground for use at a later date. In fact, this is still something we should do. That, of course, is not the path favored by large transnational companies and the economic establishment, who have collared the US government-- causing the biggest obstacle to progress on the issue.

3) The biggest costs will be borne by the poor and lower classes of the world, who do not possess the resources to avoid weather disasters. This makes it all the more imperative that taxation of wealthy individuals and corporatins in order to address social issues should be reimposed. (The current tax-dodging is over-the-top.) As wealth inequalities have increased globally, social and environmental priorities and concerns have gone down the toilet.

Thanks for the liberal primer.

btw...are you telling us that flooding was unknown a few decades back?

..or typhoons?

You are free to send your money to Al Gore if you wish.

He will set things right.

Then again..maybe not.

+++++++ 1

RECURRING ICE AGES CHANGES makes the climate change ,,,there is no proof of the so called global warming,,,,But there is proof of the ice age climate changes.

[Stargeezr]

Boy! The southern part of Thailand and area are sure getting a lot of rain

again this year. When I visited the Pattani and Yala area a few years back

the area was getting over a flood, and the two temples that I visited still had

a lot of water in the temple grounds. It must be a very hard time for the people who live

in that area. Good luck to all!

Happy New Year, and may 2015 be a good one.

Stargeezer

[h90]

I can never understand why Thai "engineers" just love to exascerbate flooding problems by opening the sluice-gates. A dam is (supposed to be) designed to be FULL. Any excess water simply overflows and the crest of the dam has sections designed for just this. When there is no more excess, the overflow stops. Simple!

If they have to release water "to protect the dam's integrity" I would suggest the locals run for the hills, because they shouldn't trust that dam in any circumstances or any state of raining/not-raining.

Or maybe the "engineer" has to do-and-say something to justify his job?

Maybe these dams haven't that section designed for the overflow?

I recall in 2011 one of the major dams was full 120 % of capacity and they panicked, because of possible breaking the dam and did an emergency release (which was fantastic for Bangkok, true Venice/Beach feeling).

[Seastallion]

I can never understand why Thai "engineers" just love to exascerbate flooding problems by opening the sluice-gates. A dam is (supposed to be) designed to be FULL. Any excess water simply overflows and the crest of the dam has sections designed for just this. When there is no more excess, the overflow stops. Simple!

If they have to release water "to protect the dam's integrity" I would suggest the locals run for the hills, because they shouldn't trust that dam in any circumstances or any state of raining/not-raining.

Or maybe the "engineer" has to do-and-say something to justify his job?

Or how about, "We have a rainy season every year, let's talk to the Meteorological Department and find out the short, mid, and long term forecasts, prior to the rains, and start gently emptying the dam in anticipation accordingly".

Even if they emptied it based on a worst case dry season scenario, it would surely make a difference.

[janpoo]

5 million for the football team!!!!!!!!! So no problem 50 million for them Mr PM

[rickirs]

Gen. Prayuth has asked the people to "refrain from inciting political tensions in the [flood affected] area."

Or what - no government assistance? That's raw politics at its ugliest.

[phuketsub]

NST getting pounded now. Looks like we may get some of the tail end of that here in north Songkhla.

We certainly don't need it, even though the floodwaters have receded slighly here in Ranode.

I drove through Krasaesin District yesterday (between Ranode and SatingPhra) and all the fields were flooded, but the roads are passable.

[Stocky]

Largely sunny again today in Hat Yai, water levels in the Utaphao have fallen some 3-4m from their height. Dry this evening, here's hoping we get get fine weather for the New Year street market and Countdown.

[phuketsub]

Another big storm front moving in, should hit from NST to Songkhla Town at around 10:30- 11am.

[rajyindee]

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

[phuketsub]

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

I think they learned some lessons back in the past. I remember the severe flooding back in 2001 (pretty sure that was the year) and I remember part of the reason was that they didn't cut all the vegetation out of the klongs, which impeded drainage. They have had many huge projects to prevent a recurrence since then.

For these floods you need to look at the entire drainage basin (it is huge) and Haad Yai's location in it. Most of the fronts come in from the west and 'dump their loads' when they hit shore, so most of it gets drained into the lake downstream from Haad Yai.

[rajyindee]

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

I think they learned some lessons back in the past. I remember the severe flooding back in 2001 (pretty sure that was the year) and I remember part of the reason was that they didn't cut all the vegetation out of the klongs, which impeded drainage. They have had many huge projects to prevent a recurrence since then.

For these floods you need to look at the entire drainage basin (it is huge) and Haad Yai's location in it. Most of the fronts come in from the west and 'dump their loads' when they hit shore, so most of it gets drained into the lake downstream from Haad Yai.

I thought most of the rain over the last two months has come from fronts coming in from the east.

[Stocky]

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

The Mayor deserves a pat on the back. The relief canals for the Utapho were stalled over land disputes in 2010, when we had the last bad floods in Hat Yai, after that they forced some kind of compulsory purchase on the owners and completed the link through to Lake Songkhla. Since then we've had two close calls but the system has worked (so far).

Hat Yai catches both the westerly (June-October) and easterly monsoon seasons (mid-October- early-January) the east coast monsoon is the one that brings flooding the total annual rainfall for Oct-Dec is almost 1m.

[phuketsub]

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

I think they learned some lessons back in the past. I remember the severe flooding back in 2001 (pretty sure that was the year) and I remember part of the reason was that they didn't cut all the vegetation out of the klongs, which impeded drainage. They have had many huge projects to prevent a recurrence since then.

For these floods you need to look at the entire drainage basin (it is huge) and Haad Yai's location in it. Most of the fronts come in from the west and 'dump their loads' when they hit shore, so most of it gets drained into the lake downstream from Haad Yai.

I thought most of the rain over the last two months has come from fronts coming in from the east.

Yes, my bad.

[rajyindee]

The NE monsoon has been relatively light this year, hence no flood

Hat Yai will always flood.

I don't understand ... the thread's about the current floods creating havoc ...

The areas that don't flood are along Kanchanawanit road...home buyers take note.

The airport road seems to be the area of choice at the moment.

Edited December 30, 2014 by rajyindee