Floods in several central provinces along five major rivers of Ping, Wang, Yom, Nan and Chao Phraya are getting worse today as several dams are increasing water discharge as their water storage are closing to critical levels.
Several provinces in the Northeast are also affected as many rivers burst banks and submerged farms and houses along the banks.
Worst hit by floods in the lower northern and central regions are Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Ang Thong and Ayutthaya.
Royal Irrigation Department deputy director-general Thongplaew Kongchan alerted irrigation officials in Lopburi, Saraburi, and Ayutthaya to warn houses and restaurants operating business on the Pasak river to get ready for evacuation of their belongings as the level of water will rise by 50-70 centimetres in case of more rains in the areas forcing the Pasak Jolasid dam to discharge more water as its water storage is almost teaching critical level.
The water discharge could cause immediate flooding, he said.
He said that the dam’s storage capacity now can hold just another 79 million cubic metres.
This prompted the dam to increase water discharge from 40 million cubic metres to 47.50-50 million cubic metres.
Meanwhile the Meteorological Department forecast more rains in the lower northern region, the central region, and the East and the South during this period especially from October 11-13 when heavy to heavier rains are expected in the central region, east, Bangkok and adjacent provinces.
But it said North and Northeast will have less rain as cold season is approaching.
In Nakhon Sawan, runoff from upstream provinces of Phichit and Kamphaeng Phet are flowing down, causing the Ping, Yom, Nan and Chao Phraya rivers to rise and burst banks at several low lying areas submerging four sub-districts in the provincial seat of Nakhon Sawan.
The floodwater in some areas is as high as two metres and cut off roads, leading to many villages.
In Chainat, three sub-districts were hit by the third round of forest run-off.
In some areas where rain continues, paddy fields have been submerged as deep as two metres.
Farmers are forced to prematurely harvest their crops to prevent further damage if flood level rises, although premature paddy will get lower prices.
In Ang Thong, Chao Phraya river burst banks and inundated government offices homes in Pakok district.
Representatives of Her Majesty the Queen distributed 1,500 relief supplies to flood victims in Ayutthaya. Seven districts in the provinces have been inundated.
Meanwhile in Nakhon Ratchasima, heavy rainfalls triggered flooding in the town yesterday.
