Residents in 27 at-risk communities in Bangkok have been warned to brace
for floods this weekend as heavy rains are expected from tomorrow (Friday)
until Monday.
All the flood-prone communities,
home to around 1,200 families, are located along the Chao Phraya River in areas
that have no embankment.
However, having an embankment is
not always a guarantee against flooding. Such is the case in Sukhothai, which
has seen water from the Yom River seeping in even though the level is not
overflowing the embankment.
"The water is seeping in
from under the embankment," Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee said
yesterday in his capacity as the chair of the Water and Flood Management
Commission (WFMC).
He believed the problem stemmed
from the fact that the embankment does not have foundation poles, and the high
water pressure is causing the seepage. He added that the WFMC has recruited
engineers from private companies in a bid to quickly and efficiently end the
flooding in Sukhothai.
The commission is also urgently
examining embankments in Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, Angthong and Ayutthaya.
"We have to identify the
riskiest spots and try to minimise that risk," Plodprasob said.
According to Plodprasob, the
embankments in Sukhothai, Sing Buri and Angthong were constructed in 2001.
However, the embankment in Nakhon Sawan is newer.
Prime Minister Yingluck
Shinawatra yesterday reckoned that relevant authorities would have to shift
their focus on provinces downstream from Sukhothai.
"We are now assessing the
situation and trying to prepare solutions for all possible scenarios," she
said.
When asked whether her government
would be able to control the flooding, Yingluck said, "I can only say that
we are doing our best".
She urged locals to watch out and
alert relevant authorities if they noticed any flood risks.
Plodprasob said the problem in
Sukhothai was "unprecedented".
In a separate interview, Komsan
Maleesee, deputy dean of the Faculty of Engineering at King Mongkut's Institute
of Technology Ladkrabang, said the government should not just say that the
problem was beyond control.
"This reflects that the
earthen base for the embankment might have sustained problems from last year's
flooding," Komsan said. "The government should have done
better".
In a related development, WFMC
deputy chair and spokesman Chadchart Sittiphan said the list of qualified
companies for the submission of water-management concepts under the
government's 300-billion baht (US$9.6 billion) budget would be announced on
September 20.
Sukothai
Floods have forced the temporary
closure of five schools and a vocational institute, sidelining thousands of
students.
Wat Ratchathani historical
site has also been inundated.
Floods in Sukhothai municipality
are spreading to nearby low-lying areas, including tambon Ban Lum, Pak Khwae
and Yang Sai in Muang district. Public-health officials are on hand to assist
and advise the rising numbers of flood victims.
Phitsanulok
Downstream from Sukhothai, the
banks of the Yom River are overflowing homes. Around 7,000 rai of farm fields
in Phitsanulok's Bang Rakam and Phrom Phiram districts are submerged. Residents
along the river have moved their belongings to higher places and are using
boats to travel. A school in Phrom Phiram has been closed temporarily.
Phichit
The overflowing Yom River has
inundated 50 houses in Sam Ngam district with one-metre-deep waters. Farmers in
tambon Khlong Khachen in Muang district are using boats to harvest their rice
fields.
Angthong
More than 450 residents of 148
households have been flooded out in Muang district's tambon Phong Pheng. Thirty
boats have been requested and around 30 people asked for tents to live in.
Water was one metre deep in some areas. The higher stage of the Chao Phraya has
caused a canal to back up in Phong Pheng's tambon Ban It, causing worries that
the waters will break through embankments.
Uttaradit
Flood damage is estimated at 100
million baht ($3.2 million) in Muang and Laplae districts, where 2,000 rai of
agricultural areas and 12 roads were covered. Floodwaters are now receding.
Tak
The overflowing Wang River has
submerged 333 residences and 2,444 rai of paddy fields in Ban Tak district.
Farmers have been advised to monitor the flood situation and are urged speed up
the harvest of their crops.
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programmes. Many thanks for visiting www.yourvietnamexpert.com and/or contacting us at contact@yourvietnamexpert.com
No comments:
Post a Comment