Floods Claim Three More Lives In North

[george]

Floods claim three more lives in North

BANGKOK: -- A family of three was swept away as flash floods hit the northern province of Mae Hong Son on Thursday, raising the death toll to at least 42 persons nationwide as floods continue to wreak havoc in many provinces in the North and Northeast.

The bodies of a man and his daughter were found, but the woman has not been found. The family was carried away by the flood as they rode a motorcycle home in the provincial seat.

In Chiang Mai, Doi Angkhang in Fang district, ravaged by a flash flood five days ago, was hit again by forest run-off after a night of new rain.

No further damage was caused, but the storm delayed rehabilitation operations. Piles of mud and wood were swept away to villages by the new round of flood.

Sandbag embankments were built to protect local communities from further flooding. Road access to Doi Ang Khang has been cut by new flooding, and residents in Fang are warned of further possible forest torrents.

In Phichit, some areas were cut off from the outside world as some 20 bridges were destroyed. Damage is estimated at Bt20 million.

In the Northeast, three districts were hit by floods and people living along the Mekong River have evacuated their belongings to higher ground as the level of the river has been increasing rapidly.

In Kalasin, overflowing water from the Chee River has flooded paddy fields. Farmers will receive compensation from the local authorities or the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, according to the assistant district officer.

In Nong Bua Lam Phu, rains have stopped but if floods threaten to damage to about 8,000 acres of paddy fields.

--TNA 2006-10-12