Khon Kaen – Citizens in the lower north, central and northeastern regions continue to suffer from flood conditions with water levels not showing any sign of receding.
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Royal Irrigation Department staff have been joined by soldiers and local administrative officials in Khon Kaen province’s Baan Lad Na Piang community to setup a Big Bag barrier to hold off the Lam Huay Yai waterway, which is taking on 1.5 million cubic meters of water per day and storing the excess in the area’s rice farms. Authorities believe it will take up to 1,000 Big Bags to adequately safeguard communities.
High water has remained in the province’s Nam Pong, Muang and Ubol Ratana districts and still shows signs of expansion. Earthen barriers have been increased by 50 centimeters in height and are now stretching 10 kilometers to keep water out of rice fields. Ubol Ratana Dam has nonetheless begun to drop in level and it is expected that if rains continue to hold off, officials will be able to decrease its discharge rate and allow flooding to subside.
In Ayuthaya province, heavy rains have again raised water levels with Bang Ban, Bang Sai, Pak Hai, Sena, Bang Ba Han, Maharaj, Bang Pa In and Phra Nakorn Si Ayuthaya districts all flooded, impacting some 30,000 households. Deputy Governor Rewat Prasong has ordered relief efforts to focus on providing dry roadways so that transportation and travel can resume.
Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has ordered governors under the Ministry of the Interior and soldiers under the Ministry of Defense to establish temporary shelters and evacuation centers as well as close assistance. He has urged citizens to heed official instructions and not to remove sandbags from barriers.
