Following a recent announcement that the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) will release more water from the Chao Phraya dam to accommodate runoff from the North, riverside residents in eleven provinces are advised to monitor water levels and prepare for possible flooding.
The warning, issued by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, was for the provinces of Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong and Suphan Buri, as well as Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok.
This was precipitated by the RID’s plan to release 850 to 1,000 cubic meters (m3) per second of water from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat province to low-lying areas in the region. By July 27, the rapid is anticipated to flow at a rate of 1,050-1,150 m3 per second. The discharge rate will raise the water level 60-80 centimeters downstream.
Officials from RID urged those residing along the Chao Phraya River’s banks and in areas outside flood embankments to closely monitor water levels and relocate their belongings to higher ground.
Residents of Nakhon Ratchasima province have meanwhile been advised to prepare for the possibility of inundation, as water levels in the province’s reservoirs are now perilously high. Governor Vichien Chantaranothai said water levels in five medium-sized reservoirs currently exceed capacity, with the excess water being discharged into waterways under close supervision to prevent flooding of agricultural land and riverside communities. (NNT)
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