Hundreds of homes were submerged yesterday morning after strong currents from the rising Chao Phya River breached the 20-metre-long stretch of flood barriers near Wat Sanamchai in Angthong's Muang district.

Some 300 soldiers piled sandbags in a desperate attempt to fix the barriers but the nine-metre-deep river still submerged 150 homes in Sabsin and Talad Luang communities, two temples and two schools.

Mayor Chai Suwaphan promptly had soldiers build another four-metre-high barrier near Nopparat Market to prevent further damage to the city's economic zone, while other soldiers helped residents move belongings to higher ground. At press time, Angthong City was under 50 centimetres of water.

Floodwater pouring into the Lam Tha Daeng Canal threatened to inundate nearly 100,000 rai of rice paddies in Muang, Pho Thong and Chai Yo districts.

Currently, 218 villages in Angthong's six districts are reeling under high water levels that have also partially damaged 1,232 houses and ruined 11,825 rai of farmland.

Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa sent a dozen truckloads of concrete pillars to build flood barriers for Muang Angthong residents and promised he would ask the Public Works Department to build more in high-risk areas.

In Chantaburi's Muang district, three days of heavy rainfall submerged 1,000 homes under 1.5 metres of water, making many city roads impassable for vehicles. Also flooded were Tha Mai, Na Yai Arm, Makham, Kaeng Hang Maew, Khao Khitchakood, and Khlung districts. Chantaburi was later declared a disaster area. In the central province of Lop Buri, the Pasak Cholasit Dam, like many major dams that are nearly full, now holds eight million cubic metres more than the recommended capacity of 960 million, dam chief Saksiri Yoosuk said.

On the Royal Irrigation Department's request for the dam to hold up to 980 million cubic metres, Saksiri warned it could only do so only for a short period of time.

The dam is receiving 67 million cubic metres a day, and 32 million cubic metres have been released to prevent an impact on lower areas - including Bangkok. As a result, tambons in Chai Badan district north of the dam are now affected by flooding that threatens to reach Tha Luang district.

In Nakhon Sawan, the local municipality established more flood barriers on Kosi Road along the rising Chao Phya River and had merchants move their goods to higher ground, while the flooding spread to 65 villages in Sing Buri's Phrom Buri, Muang, Ton Pho and Tha Chang districts.

In the western province of Tak, landslides blocked a 10-metre stretch of Mae Sot-Umphang Road at 4am yesterday, stranding nearly 40 vehicles. Officials with heavy machinery managed to clear and re-open the road by the afternoon.

The Meteorological Department yesterday warned 10 lower northeastern provinces of scattered thunderstorms and isolated heavy rain in the coming days.

With a 20 per cent increase in acute diarrhoea cases from last year, the Public Health Ministry warned people of outbreaks in all flooded areas. It also reported that 120,551 people had fallen ill from water-borne diseases - most suffering from athlete's foot. It urged villagers to drink boiled water and wash with bottled water - and to stop eating uncooked food.

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported yesterday that the flooding in 39 provinces - 23 remain submerged - had cost Bt190 million in damages and killed 24 people.

It also warned that Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ayutthaya and Bangkok faced more flooding due to the northern floodwaters and seasonal high tide, set to peak around October 11.

Meanwhile, the eastern seaboard province of Rayong was declared a disaster area yesterday after days of continuous heavy rain caused floods in many villages.