Flood victims brace for discharge as dykes threatened

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Flood victims brace for discharge as dykes threatened

By The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- FLOOD victims in several Northeastern provinces are bracing for rising floodwaters as water is discharged from local reservoirs.

 

The Lampao Dyke in Kalasin province yesterday increased the volume of water discharged from 20 million cubic metres to 35 million cubic metres a day. 

 

Downstream areas of Kalasin including Yang Talat, Kamalasai, Khong Chai, Muang Kalasin and Rong Kham districts have been directly affected. 

 

 

Interior Ministry permanent secretary Grisada Boonrach said residents in the nearby provinces of Yasothon, Chaiyaphum, Roi Et and Ubon Ratchathani would also be affected. 

 

“We have to increase the volume of discharged water because, as of now, the Lampao Dyke is already 84 per cent full,” Royal Irrigation Department deputy director-general Thongplew Kongjun said yesterday.

 

“We need to release water to maintain the structure. We also have to take into account the fact that more rain is coming.” 

 

Even with only 20 million cubic metres of water discharged from the Lampao Dam, more than 30,000 rai (4,800 hectares) of paddy fields along the Pao River are already flooded. Several other dykes in the Northeast will also have to release huge volumes of water to protect the integrity of the structures. 

 

The Nam Oun Dyke in Sakon Nakhon yesterday held 641 million cubic metres of water – 23 per cent higher than its capacity. In the same province, the Nam Pung Duke held 171 million cubic metres of water, or 4 per cent more than its capacity. 

 

Last Friday, the Huai Sai Khamin Dyke in Sakon Nakhon held 3.05 million cubic metres of water – 27 per cent more than its capacity – when its structure failed and it burst. 

 

 

Sakon Nakhon is among the worst-hit provinces. According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, 12 provinces are flooded, nine of which are in the Northeast and three in the Central region. 

 

People across the country have raised donations for flood victims. In Yala province, donated items will be loaded into a C130 aircraft and sent to Sakon Nakhon tomorrow, the day that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha is scheduled to inspect the situation in the province.

 

The military is also working with relevant authorities to deliver assistance to flood victims.

While more pumps are being used to increase the water flow out of inundated parts of the Northeast, authorities have estimated that it will take at least a week to drain the floodwaters. 

 

However, rain brought by Tropical Storm Sonca has abated. 

 

Sakon Nakhon Airport, which suspended services on 3pm last Friday, is now open. 

 

 

Airports Department director-general Darun Saengchai said the airport was reopened at 9pm yesterday, with the first flight expected to land at the runway this morning.  

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30322372

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-01

[Thian]

Are there still provinces left which didn't get flooded the last 5  years?

[Chang_paarp]

The water is all heading for the gulf of Thailand and guess which city is in the line of fire. Just like last time. Get the the boats out to help push the water faster.

 

Oh that's right the PM has ordained that there will be no flooding in that city.

[dinsdale]

Maybe it's time for the US Navy to visit Thailand again so those magnificent brains at the top can say "No thank you. We don't need your help. We are Thai. We know what we are doing."

[smutcakes]

42 minutes ago, Chang_paarp said:

The water is all heading for the gulf of Thailand and guess which city is in the line of fire. Just like last time. Get the the boats out to help push the water faster.

 

Oh that's right the PM has ordained that there will be no flooding in that city.

The Mekong Delta?

 

I have limited water knowledge,  but i was under the impression. most of the run off and river flooding from the North East would drain into the tributaries of the Mekong system, rather than end up in the Chaopraya running into BKK.

[quadperfect]

My guess is the tropical storm was not in the militarys plan for water management. And 44 did not have its usual impact.

 

[mikebell]

Why don't they build another, bigger dam?  I'm sure it would cost less than a submarine and would provide the only suitable environment for it in thousands of miles locally.

[wvavin]

Thais should be very happy that they have enough water for them to throw for next year Songkran festival.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

The Mekong Delta?

 

I have limited water knowledge,  but i was under the impression. most of the run off and river flooding from the North East would drain into the tributaries of the Mekong system, rather than end up in the Chaopraya running into BKK.

I made that point a few times too.. seems many people don't really know how to read maps. 

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, wvavin said:

Thais should be very happy that they have enough water for them to throw for next year Songkran festival.

But that pisses off a lot of GOM 

[Stargeezr]

I guess they do not want this to happen if the dams were to burst instead of having water

sent down river. There sure has been some serious flooding so far in many places.

Geezer

[Eric Loh]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

The Mekong Delta?

 

I have limited water knowledge,  but i was under the impression. most of the run off and river flooding from the North East would drain into the tributaries of the Mekong system, rather than end up in the Chaopraya running into BKK.

Bangkok will be spare. Hip hip hooray. Let the other north and north east provinces flood and all those areas that will be affected by the Mekong spill-off. 

[robblok]

18 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Bangkok will be spare. Hip hip hooray. Let the other north and north east provinces flood and all those areas that will be affected by the Mekong spill-off. 

Yes Bangkok will be spared from those waters, it must break your heart. At least now you can't say they kept the water there to spare BKK.

 

I really hope they solve the flooding over there but seems the army is already in there to help the people. It sucks to be flooded and now with those dams having to release water it will only get worse. But still better to release now then to suffer the collapse of a dam. I am sure that is even worse. 

[maybefitz]

If the dykes discharge, will their chicks anticipate this? Or have I read it wrong?...

[GreasyFingers]

Why do posters say that the government should fix the flooding. You cannot stop floods, only mitigate some of the effects. There are many areas in Australia that flood 'regularly' say 1 in 10-20 years but then you always get a bigger one that cannot be mitigated.

[digger70]

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Maybe it's time for the US Navy to visit Thailand again so those magnificent brains at the top can say "No thank you. We don't need your help. We are Thai. We know what we are doing."

That would be a first (:

[moe666]

5 hours ago, smutcakes said:

The Mekong Delta?

 

I have limited water knowledge,  but i was under the impression. most of the run off and river flooding from the North East would drain into the tributaries of the Mekong system, rather than end up in the Chaopraya running into BKK.

I believe you are correct.

[robblok]

24 minutes ago, moe666 said:

I believe you are correct.

He is correct and it breaks the hearts of certain users here that it does not flow into BKK. 

 

A big problem in some parts of Isarn now is that they don't have much draining capacaty, this could take longer then expected. The goverment should be honest and let those people know how long it really going to take.

[seajae]

these farmers are aware this is going to happen more often than not so they should be prepared for it, apart from levees on the rivers themselves  and the canals kept clear there isnt a lot that can be done about it, it happens in countries all over the world so it isnt just a thai thing. Obviously when the dams were built they never allowed for heavy rain so maybe increasing the capacity of them will help in the future if it can be done. Thailand really does need to build better flood infrastructure as we have some parts that are flooding and other parts needing more water to fill below average dams but all those that get into govt do nothing about it.

[Lunchbob]

The dam water levels are not managed correctly at best. Same kind of people in education, etc...blocking more intelligent, competent younger people bc of severe hierarchy cultural norm....blah blah

[VocalNeal]

I have a mate who used to work for the UN here. He claimed during the last floods that no young people want to go into Irrigation or water management as a career so there is no new blood and no new knowledge.

Edited August 1, 2017 by VocalNeal

[dinsdale]

Downstream areas of Kalasin including Yang Talat, Kamalasai, Khong Chai, Muang Kalasin and Rong Kham districts have been directly affected.