• 
• 

Published on October 9, 2007

In Phitsanulok's Nakhon Thai district, torrents of rain left Tambon Ban Phrao's Nam Lad village under a metre of water, with 400 families stranded. Nakhon Thai and Chat Trakan roads were impassable due to two-metre-deep floodwaters, and motorists were advised to use the Phitsanulok-Lom Sak Rd.

In Chiang Rai, provincial governor Preecha Kamolbutr said flooding in Mae Chan and Chiang Saen districts had not yet receded. He said officials were considering building an 18km flood barrier along the Kham River, which had overflowed, inundating 200 homes in Chiang Saen and nearly 500 homes in Mae Chan.

In Phichit, Taphan Hin district chief Thatchapong Phaekwamdee said forest run-offs had hit 1,500 homes in Tambon Thung Pho, Wang Lum and Nong Payom late on Sunday night and damaged 900 rai of farmland and all local roads. Officials provided prompt initial assistance to those in affected areas and began to assess the damage. In Tambon Nong Payom officials prepared 10,000 sandbags to "defend" temples and schools.

Floodwater from Phitsanulok and Phetchabun hit Tambon Sak Lek in Phichit's Sak Lek district late on Sunday night, affecting 1,700 households and leaving roads under 50-70cm of water, according to the mayor, Somkuan Phuprasert. Officials assisted residents to move belongings to higher ground, while 10,000 sandbags were set up to protect so-far unaffected areas.

In Kalasin, 86 million cubic metres of run-off from Sakon Nakhon and Udon Thani poured into the Lam Pao Dam, which now contains 145 million cubic metres more than its capacity (1,430 million cu m).

With water overflowing from the dam and the Lam Nam Pao and Chi rivers at a rate of 26 million cubic metres a day, all district chiefs were supervising contingency operations in their areas and helping to prepare for evacuations.

In Ubon Ratchathani, the Mul Noi River overflowed and inundated 30 homes in Wang Daeng, Huai Muang and Cholprathan-Bang Bor communities, with Air Force officers assisting home-owners in moving to a local disaster relief centre.

 The Nation