Threat Of More Floods If Typhoon Cimaron Hits Thailand

[george]

Threat of more floods if Typhoon Cimaron hits Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Senior officials of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and related government agencies were scheduled to meet Sunday and assess the current flooding situation in the country as well as floods which could worsen with the approach of Typhoon Cimaron early next month.

RID Director-General Samart Chokkanapitak said irrigation officials had been instructed to closely monitor water levels in reservoirs which now are at over 80 per cent capacity in preparation for heavy rains which could come hand-in-hand with the approaching tropical storm.

Typhoon Cimaron is reportedly forming now in the Pacific near the Philippines and expected to reach the Vietnamese coast on November 1.

The typhoon will possibly impact Thailand afterwards, said Samart.

According to Mr. Samart, if Typhoon Cimaron moves to the North, major water retention sites in the region such as the Bhumibol Dam in Tak province and the Sirikit Dam in Uttaradit may have to release water within the next few days because they have already reached their maximum level. The water, if released, will further worsen flooding situation in central Thailand.

Meanwhile, Suparerk Tansriratanawong, Director-General of the Meteorological Department, said it was still difficult to predict the strength of the new typhoon and more accurate forecasts can only be made after the storm hits the Philippines.

--TNA 2006-10-29

[teletiger]

Cimaron has been declared a super typhoon. It's passing over The Philippines now, with gusts up to 200 mph and sustained winds of 160+ mph. It's projected path will take it directly over the Thai/Lao/Cambodian borders. These projected paths are 90% accurate.

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc06/W...ull/Latest.html

Regards

[george]

Alarm over new typhoon

Officials discuss measures to deal with storm building up off Philippines coast; two more drown as flood waters recede

BANGKOK: -- Local authorities and relief agencies yesterday held an urgent meeting to discuss the risk of heavy rains and a worsening flood situation as Typhoon Chimaron develops off the Philippines coast and will likely head here.

Royal Irrigation Department director-general Samart Choke-khanaphithak released no details on whether urgent solutions had been decided or what would be done to handle the typhoon. He called on people planning to travel to the Philippines to check international weather forecasts and warnings before catching their flights.

He said the water volume flowing past Angthong and Nakhon Sawan through the Chao Phya and Pasak rivers had decreased a bit. This would make the flood situation in both heavily inundated provinces better as long as Typhoon Chimaron did not soon reach Thailand.

Two people drowned in Angthong province including a 14-year-old boy while swimming with his friends in Muang district. There are now only three bodies of flood victims left in the district's morgue after a number of bodies were claimed by relatives.

Her Royal Highness Princess Srirasmi, on behalf of her husband His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, made visits to several areas in Pho Thong district in Angthong and provided foodstuffs for use with a number of mobile kitchens he ordered to serve flood victims.

Relief supplies and more food ingredients are needed for flood victims living in provinces that are suffering from long-term inundation. Donation of those items and money can be made at Sukhothai Palace, the prince's official residence, or by calling (02) 242 9800, as well as at provincial city halls nationwide.

An official report said about 600,000 people around the country had health problems from the flooding and were receiving hospital treatment. The largest intake rate recorded recently was 10,000 patients a day, said Public Health Ministry permanent secretary Prat Bunyawongwiroj.

State hospitals in the five worst-hit provinces of Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri and Nonthaburi, all located in the Central region, are now saved from water behind sandbag walls to provide services to local residents around the clock, he added.

The largest number of the patients suffer from Hong Kong foot (261,168 cases). The remaining sicknesses and symptoms are: rashes, high fever, stress, red eyes, getting bitten by poisonous reptiles, diarrhoea, and backache and physical pain caused by heavy labour used in moving belongings.

--The Nation 2006-10-30

[taxexile]

http://www.tmd.go.th/linkframe/satellite_show.html

tick the loop image box and see the path of the storm

Edited October 30, 2006 by taxexile

[Jai Dee]

Meteorological Dep. expects no great effect from typhoon Cimaron, but will determine its course again

The Meteorological Department expects typhoon Cimaron, which has recently formed in the Pacific waters off the Philippines, to affect Thailand during October 31-November 2.

Department chief Suparerk Tansriratanawong (ศุภฤกษ์ ตันศรีรัตนวงศ์) has conferred with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, which operates many large dams in the country, and other related agencies, regarding preparations for the typhoon. He said the Meteorological Department is looking into whether the typhoon would enter Thailand, but he believed the storm would not affect Thailand significantly.

Irrigation Department chief Samart Chokkanapitark (สามารถ โชคคณาพิทักษ์) said he has ordered for water to be dissipated from reserviors under the department that are holding more than 80% of capacity. He said EGAT and Irrigation reserviors would release water in amounts that would not affect locals in the area. He also affirmed that water will not be released from Bhumibol (ภูมิพล) dam and Sirikit (สิริกิติ์) dam.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 October 2006

[Jai Dee]

Typhoon Cimaron might affect Thailand in the beginning of November

Mr. Suparerk Tansrirattanawong, the Meteorological Department Director-General, has a plan in advance to handle Typhoon Cimaron, which is currently looming from the Pacific Ocean, near the Philippines.

Typhoon Cimaron rampaged over the Philippines this morning. Nevertheless, the Meteorological Department has made a forecast that it may pass through the West of Thailand, close to Vietnam’s shoreline.

Mr. Suparerk is closely monitoring the typhoon in order to forecast whether it will affect Thailand on the 2nd of November.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 30 October 2006

[Soju]

The Meteorological Department expects typhoon Cimaron, which has recently formed in the Pacific waters off the Philippines, to affect Thailand during October 31-November 2.

Either I'm just stupid, or Thailand is in big trouble if their Meteorological Department is making these kinds of predictions. Look at the link above to the project path and dates of the typhoon. It's now just barely left the Philippines and looks like it won't reach Thailand until about the 5th, yet they're predicting it will affect them from tomorrow until Thursday?

Nevertheless, the Meteorological Department has made a forecast that it may pass through the West of Thailand, close to Vietnam’s shoreline.

Ok, this just proves how lost they are. Since when is the West of Thailand next to Vietnam's shoreline? Haven't they ever even heard of the countries called Cambodia and Laos that sit between them and Vietnam?

[Old Man River]

The Meteorological Department expects typhoon Cimaron, which has recently formed in the Pacific waters off the Philippines, to affect Thailand during October 31-November 2.

Either I'm just stupid, or Thailand is in big trouble if their Meteorological Department is making these kinds of predictions. Look at the link above to the project path and dates of the typhoon. It's now just barely left the Philippines and looks like it won't reach Thailand until about the 5th, yet they're predicting it will affect them from tomorrow until Thursday?

Nevertheless, the Meteorological Department has made a forecast that it may pass through the West of Thailand, close to Vietnam’s shoreline.

Ok, this just proves how lost they are. Since when is the West of Thailand next to Vietnam's shoreline? Haven't they ever even heard of the countries called Cambodia and Laos that sit between them and Vietnam?

The Thai Meteorological Dept. is an ever present source of comedic material. I will never forget a few years ago when they said, publicly, that they had a 50-50 chance at predicting rain. Everyone has a 50-50 chance.

[londonthai]

Since when is the West of Thailand next to Vietnam's shoreline? Haven't they ever even heard of the countries called Cambodia and Laos that sit between them and Vietnam?

west of thailand will be closer to Burma and the Indian ocean. There must be a large earthquake in the Meterorological Department

[Cheeky Farang]

Bangkok in desperate race to ward off new inundation

The Royal Irrigation Department is rushing to drain water out of water-retaining fields in Central Thailand in preparation for heavy rains expected to be brought on by approaching Typhoon Cimaron.

The department warned diversion could increase water levels by as much as one metre.

The most significant rise will be at Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district.

Director-general Samart Chokanapitak reported the department was monitoring the approaching tropical cyclone. Cimaron, which hit the northern Philippines yesterday, killing 13 people.

The Meteorological Department reported yesterday that Cimaron was moving west at 15kph and packing winds of 150kph. It is expected to reach Vietnam by the end of the week.

It was expected to bring rain to East and Northeast Thailand but spare the North and heavily-flooded Central regions.

Meanwhile, the irrigation department has diverted huge volumes of floodwater from Thung Phraya Banleau to lower-lying Thung Phra Pimol on the west bank of the Chao Phya between Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani.

Water-course levels in Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, and Nakhon Pathom were expected to rise by as much as one metre as a result.

Director-general Samart warned residents to ensure flood barriers were strengthened.

Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani were swamped on Saturday after 2,000 Ayutthaya locals destroyed flood barriers.

Samart reported that the water volume in the Chao Phya at Nakhon Sawan was 3,517 cubic metres per second (cms) - 175cms down from a day earlier. In the Chao Phya Dam at Chai Nat the rate was 3,450 cms. Flow from Bang Sai in Ayutthaya into Bangkok was running at 3,115 cms.

In the capital, Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said water diversion was underway in preparation for high tides in the Gulf of Thailand between November 6 and November 10 and rains from Cimaron.

The Public Health Ministry was seeking donations for ablution barges that were desperately needed in Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri and Nonthaburi. The barges collect and dispose of human waste before it can contaminate waterways and spread disease. Donations can be made by telephoning 02-590-4347 or 02-590-4353.

The number of patients treated for flood-related ailments had hit 600,000 and the death toll has reached 164. Public Health Ministry spokesman Supan Srithamma said it would have to spend Bt157 million to repair flood-damaged hospitals.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said more than 3.6 million people had been affected by flooding since late August. Overall, 47 provinces were affected by floods and 15 were still suffering.

Some three million rai of farmland had been destroyed and initial estimates of damage were approaching Bt377 million

http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/31/nat...al_30017579.php

[Cyberstar]

... let the sandbag brigade have a break ... Cimaron seems to be heading towards Siberia , now ... (The meaning of the circles around forecasted points has come into play)

[lingling]

Looks like it is coming back...

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc06/W...ull/Latest.html

[Soju]

Looks like it is coming back...

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc06/W...ull/Latest.html

That's a strange path. Maybe it'll just keep doing loops out in the ocean until it gets dizzy.

[taxexile]

slightly off topic , but still on a meteorological theme , could somebody explain the persistant hazy conditions , in spite of the strong breeze , that hua hin (and possibly other places) have been experiencing for over a week now. poor visibility ....about 3 kilometers all and every day.

is it pollution or water vapour ?

[Jai Dee]

We have the same hazy conditions in Laem Chabang Tax...

[george]

This might be the reason:

Hazy days

PHUKET: -- The mysterious haze that descended on Phuket yesterday is the the result of a high-pressure system centered in China and local atmospheric effects, and are not related to forest fires in Sumatra, the island’s top weatherman has told the Gazette.

Chumnong Chitpukdee, Director of Southern Meteorological Center (West Coast) Phuket, said that low visibility along much of Thailand’s Andaman Coast was from a combination of cool temperatures and Tuesday night’s rain, which raised relative humidity to 100%. With little wind to dissipate the moisture, fog formed.

The fog could persist for the next two or three days, during which time land and sea transport should proceed with caution, he said.

“The fog will have no effect on high-season tourism,” he added inevitably.

-- Phuket Gazette 2006-11-02

[taxexile]

thanks , that might explain things a bit although there has been no rain here for over 2 weeks now and i would have thought that the breezes here would dissipate the haze.

i guess it must cover a huge area.