Surge Unlikely

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration yesterday practised drills to deal with storm surges.

This year there is a less than 10percent possibility of storm surges.

BMA chiefs and all 50 district directors attended the drills at the Amphibious Squadron in Bang Na.

National Disaster Warning Centre chief Smith Dhammasaroj last week urged residents in Samut Prakan and Bangkok to prepare for the worst storm surges in 50 years.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin says the BMA has divided atrisk areas into four zones, depending on severity. One to threemetre waves may occur in red zones, smaller ones in orange zones. Yellow and green zones will experience little flooding.

He says at risk areas include the old Sukhumvit Road close to the sea, a red zone; and the old Sukhumvit Road to Bang NaTrat Highway, an orange zone.

From the coast to Sanam Chai canal is a red zone, too, and from the canal to Rama II is an orange zone.

The BMA has preflood prevention measures in place and during surges the Incident Command System will take over. It has cleanup plans ready, too.

The BMA provides places for those who have to evacuate Bang Na at Bitec, Central City and Big C, the Index building and Nation Tower.

It distributed 200,000 brochures explaining how to deal with the storm surges.

Marine Meteorological Centre chief Wattana Kanbua says the possibility of storm surge in Bangkok is less than 10 per cent.

If there is surge in the Gulf, the Met Office can give seven says warning.