Flood death toll rises to 813, 3 missing

[Khun Don]

Warning: Heavy rain, flash floods
Published: 24/09/2011 at 11:47 AM
Online news:

The Meteorological Department on Saturday morning issued a warning for people in the lower part of the Northeast and the East to prepare for widespread scattered rain with heavy falls in some areas and the danger of floods during the next few days.

People living near hillsides and waterways Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Amnatcharoen, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat should prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding, it warned.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

UPDATED: Warning of flashfloods
Published: 24/09/2011 at 04:11 PM
Online news:

The National Disaster Warning Centre on Saturday issued a warning for people in the North, Northeast, East and the South to prepare for widespread scattered rain with heavy falls in some areas, the danger of floods and landslides from today to the end of this month.

People living in risk areas in Uthumphonpisai, Rasisalai, Kantararom and Muang districts of Si Sa Ket, Kuang Nai, Warinchamrap, Thung Sri Udom, Nam Yuen, Kong Chiam and Muang districts of Ubon Ratchathani, and Kosumphisai and Muang districts of Mahasarakham should prepare for heavy rain and possible flash floods today and tomorrow, it warned.

There could also be heavy rain, flash floods and landslides in Chiang Mai’s Fang district and Lampang’s Tern district today and tomorrow, according to the centre.

People living near hillsides and waterways in the East, particularly Prachinburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat should prepare for heavy rain, flash floods and landslides from September 26 to 30, the center added.

From September 27 to 30, people in Prachuab Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Phuket, Trang and Satun should prepare for heavy rain and possible flash floods and landslides, it said.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

UPDATED: Warning of flashfloods
Published: 24/09/2011 at 04:11 PM
Online news:

The National Disaster Warning Centre on Saturday issued a warning for people in the North, Northeast, East and the South to prepare for widespread scattered rain with heavy falls in some areas, the danger of floods and landslides from today to the end of this month.

People living in risk areas in Uthumphonpisai, Rasisalai, Kantararom and Muang districts of Si Sa Ket, Kuang Nai, Warinchamrap, Thung Sri Udom, Nam Yuen, Kong Chiam and Muang districts of Ubon Ratchathani, and Kosumphisai and Muang districts of Mahasarakham should prepare for heavy rain and possible flash floods today and tomorrow, it warned.

There could also be heavy rain, flash floods and landslides in Chiang Mai’s Fang district and Lampang’s Tern district today and tomorrow, according to the centre.

People living near hillsides and waterways in the East, particularly Prachinburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat should prepare for heavy rain, flash floods and landslides from September 26 to 30, the center added.

From September 27 to 30, people in Prachuab Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Phuket, Trang and Satun should prepare for heavy rain and possible flash floods and landslides, it said.
BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Two boys die in sleep as deluge hits homes
ALERT SOUNDED, TO NO AVAIL

Published: 25/09/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Two boys were killed when a flash flood swept over their village, and weather forecasters are warning of more flood perils to come.

Three-year-old Veerapob Khamroon and his three-month-old brother Siripob were found dead after a flood struck Ban Piang Kok village in Chiang Mai's Fang district about 9pm on Friday.

The brothers were asleep when the torrent arrived, but their parents could not help them, officials said.

The flood, which came from Doi Fa Hom Pok National Park, destroyed five houses and damaged 40 others.

Doi Fa Hom Pok National Park chief Sitthichai Saereesongsaeng said he sounded the flood warning siren but the deluge came too quickly.

The sound of the waters arriving also drowned out the sound of the alarm.

Mr Sitthichai has warned villagers that another flash flood could hit soon, as rainfall is still falling heavily, and the forest can no longer absorb the water.

Damrong Pidech, chief of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, yesterday ordered the temporary closure of Doi Fa Hom Pok park, a popular tourist destination in Chiang Mai.

Pakasit Mahasingh, Fang district chief, said soldiers and disaster relief units were clearing the roads, fixing damaged bridges, and building temporary shelters.

Flood have battered 23 provinces and claimed 152 lives over the past two months, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said yesterday.

In Lampang, flash floods ravaged 30 houses in tambon Jae Son of Maung Pan district. No injuries were reported.

In Phichit, the Yom River burst its banks and inundated a lime orchard and riverine communities.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, the Mekong River overflowed into communities in Khong Chiam and Warin Chamrap districts.

Over 500 villagers destroyed a 450m flood wall made of sandbags in Chai Nat's Wat Sing district.

The villagers said the barrier helps protect neighbouring Suphan Buri province, but it worsens flooding in the district which has been submerged for a month.

The National Disaster Warning Centre yesterday issued a warning of heavy rain and landslides in the North and northeastern region over the next three days.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Angry Chai Nat flood victims destroy sandbag barrier protecting Suphan Buri
By The Nation on Sunday
Published on September 25, 2011

More than 500 flood victims in Chai Nat yesterday demolished sandbag walls that officials had erected to limit the amount of water flowing into neighbouring Suphan Buri province.

"We have lived with floodwater for a month now. We can't put up with this any longer," said a flood victim who identified herself only as Kung.

She and her comrades at first closed the Wat Sing - Uthai Thani Road in Mueang Chai Nat district to force officials at the Phon Thep Irrigation Project to come out and negotiate with them. However, after the officials refused to come out, the local flood victims simply demolished the sandbag walls.

"The first floor of local houses are flooded. Have you thought about people whose houses have just one floor? Three locals have drowned. Our children are suffering from athlete's foot," Kung said.

The project's chief, Worachai Bamrungphon, later said his team had released some water but the locals were still not happy.

"I think within two days, water from here will reach Suphan Buri," he added.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), meanwhile, decided to open water gates to let water from the Chao Phraya River into some of Bangkok's canals.

Sanya Sheenimit, chief of the BMA's Department of Drainage and Sewerage, said the move would ease flood problems in Nonthaburi.

Previously, farmers in Bangkok's adjacent provinces lamented that the authorities' efforts to fully protect the capital came at their expense.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Pornthep Techapaiboon urged the government yesterday to quickly compensate affected people in Pathum Thani, a province adjacent to Bangkok.

Two young children, including an eight-month-old baby, were among the latest casualties of floods that now look set to hit even wider areas.

The baby, Siripop Khamroon, and his three-year-old brother Weerapop were found dead yesterday after a flash flood swept through their village in Chiang Mai's Fang district late on Friday night.

"The disaster also seriously damaged 30 houses there," Fang district chief Prakasit Mahasing said.

He said flood torrents were so powerful the whole road to the village was damaged and five bridges destroyed.

Pong Namron Horticulture Experiment Station sustained serious damage too. "The damage is estimated at over Bt50 million," Prakasit said.

Fang district was among areas at risk identified by the National Disaster Warning Centre, which yesterday warned that landslides and flash floods could hit some northern provinces this weekend due to expected downpours.

The centre said many districts of Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani and Maha Sarakham in the Northeast were also at risks of flash floods and overflows this weekend.

Central provinces such as Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok might also face downpours and possible flash floods today and tomorrow, it added.

Eastern provinces like Prachin Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat would also face these risks from tomorrow till Friday, it warned.

As for the South, there would be risks between Tuesday and Friday. Popular tourist destinations like Krabi and Phuket were also facing adverse weather.

"People in risky areas must be on alert," the centre said.

According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, floods have now raged in 23 provinces. None of these was in the South, however.

The official death toll stood at 153 as of yesterday morning. Three other victims were reported missing. But more deaths were reported later yesterday.

Uthai Thani Governor Wanchai Hosukhonsap said Prateep Sukiam, 57, was the latest flood victim to have drowned in his province.

"He drowned while trying to wade through floodwater to visit his elderly dad, who lived just 150 metres away," Wanchai said.

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

Two young children, including an eight-month-old baby, were among the latest casualties of floods that now look set to hit even wider areas.

He's aged five months since the previous post in this thread.

David

[GkapiBreath]

Perhaps this question belongs in another thread but, if this is going to be an annual problem, if someone working on solutions?

[Khun Don]

FLOODS

Landslide kills family of 5
Published: 29/09/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Heavy rains have unleashed a landslide that killed a family of five in Chiang Mai on Tuesday night.

314042.jpg
Front row seats in the wet
Tourists get wet feet as they watch a royal barge procession rehearsal at the flooded Nagaraphirom public park by the Chao Phraya River in Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok, with the main pagoda of the Temple of Dawn in the background yesterday. PAWATLAOPAISARNTAKSIN

The landslide together with a flash flood hit the Ban Kai Noi hill tribe village in Mae Taeng district, destroying four homes and killing the family. The dead were identified as Chamras Intharat, Saengthong Intharat, Pat Intharat, eight-year-old Mallika Intharat and Soonthorn Intharat.

There are about 60 homes in the village. The landslide cut off power supplies and telephone services and persistent rains have made repairs difficult.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri deployed emergency medical crews to Ban Kai Noi village to help victims and ordered staff at hospitals in all flood-prone areas to prepare to cope with floods and be open to treating affected people around the clock.

Related: Tempers flare over sluice gate release

See also: Thousands prepare Lop Buri evacuation

Chiang Mai governor ML Panadda Disakul said that flooding hit Mae Taeng, Fang, San Sai and Muang Chiang Mai districts yesterday.

Flood waters are receding in Mae Taeng and San Sai where about 300 homes and some 1,200 rai of farmland are inundated. Local authorities are trying to protect commercial areas in Muang Chiang Mai district. They used sandbags to build floodwalls.

But the Ping River still breached its banks and flowed into some commercial areas in the heart of Chiang Mai.

Chatri Chuamanochan, deputy mayor of Chiang Mai municipality, said local authorities were trying to protect three important locations: San Pa Khoi Road, the Waroros market and the Night Bazaar. Local sandbag floodwalls are high enough to hold back waters up to 4.7 metres deep in the Ping River.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

New warning: Flash floods, landslides
Published: 29/09/2011 at 03:36 PM
Online news:

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Thursday afternoon issued a fresh warning for people in the North, Northeast, East and the South to brace for heavy rain, possible flash floods and landslides from today to October 3.

People living near hillsides and waterways in Buengkan, Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Khon Kaen, Mahasarakham, Roi Et, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Tak, Pitsanulok, Sukhothai, Petchabun, Uttaradit, Kampaengphet, Chonburi, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong, Phang Nga, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla and Satun should prepare for heavy rain, flash flooding and landslides today and the next few days, it said.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Yingluck boosts flood ops
Bangkok braces for run-off from North

Published: 30/09/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has ordered relief operations be stepped up for upcountry flood victims.

314399.jpg
Driven from house and home
Bang-orn Sirichote and her son sleep inside a mosquito net at a makeshift shelter on Lop Buri Road in Lop Buri’s Tha Wung district. Mrs Bang-orn’s family moved to the road after their house was flooded. THITIWANNAMONTHA

As she spoke, Bangkok braced for the arrival of run-off from the North which hit northern suburbs yesterday.

The prime minister gave her order while discussing the flood crisis with ministers and officials during a video conference to assess the situation and speed up relief operations.

See also: Efforts fail to repair dyke

Life in Lop Buri: Surviving on flooded streets

In announcing her decision to assign 14 ministers to oversee flood-relief efforts in 12 provinces, Ms Yingluck said she wanted to make sure the situation was closely monitored and all the flood victims were taken care of.

"I want each minister to spend at least a night in a designated province to monitor the situation, solve problems, take care of residents, and check if there's still any province that needs help. If help is needed, the minister can contact the PM's Office and I will coordinate with the Internal Security Operations Command and army to deploy more troops to help all the affected areas," Ms Yingluck said.

Joining her at the video conference were Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk, Deputy Finance Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, and the governors of Chiang Mai, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, and Maha Sarakham.

Ms Yingluck said she wanted the ministers to visit the ravaged areas personally to help survey and coordinate flood relief operations with local governors directly.

The ministers would be her representatives in consoling local residents because she could not travel personally to address their grievances.

Ms Yingluck during the meeting asked the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department to speed up the delivery of prefabricated houses and aid kits in Chiang Mai. She also assigned Chaiyaphum's governor to proceed with a 400 million baht reservoir project in the province to solve flood problems.

Meanwhile, officials in Bangkok tried to block flood waters from upper areas of the Central Plains from entering Bangkok's main north-south Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal that runs into the inner area of the city. Huge amounts of water reached the northern boundary of the capital yesterday morning. Yesterday, water from the Khlong Rangsit Prayoonsak Canal in Pathum Thani province north of Bangkok overflowed a sandbag wall to the adjoining Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal in Bangkok's Don Muang district.

Consequently, a local road parallel to the Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal in Don Muang was flooded.

Narong Karoonyathorn, assistant chief of Don Muang district, said the Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal was at a higher elevation than the local road and as it was a main canal reaching inner Bangkok, officials would try their best to limit inflows into it.

Local authorities hurriedly piled up more sandbags to block the water and were able to contain the flooding in Don Muang district. Mr Narong said local officials were trying to drain water from the Khlong Prem Prachakorn canal. The drainage is also aimed at receiving rainwater falling in Bangkok.

Overflow from the Khlong Rangsit Prayoonsak canal that receives water from Nakhon Nayok province also flooded communities and a section of Som Sang Road in tambon Bang Phun in Muang district of Pathum Thani yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, the level of the Chao Phraya was at the top of the gate that separates it from the adjoining Khlong Rangsit Prayoonsak canal yesterday. Officials placed more sandbags on the water gate structure to protect commercial areas including Rangsit market and department stores as well as communities in the heart of Pathum Thani.

The level of the Chao Phraya River was 50 centimetres higher than that of the Khlong Rangsit Prayoonsak canal yesterday morning.

Flooding in Ayutthaya province north of Pathum Thani remained critical in Ban Phraek and Tha Rua districts. Local authorities said it was the worst flooding of the districts in 50 years.

Ayutthaya-Bang Pa-in Road, Ayutthaya's tourism-oriented road parallel to the Chao Phraya River, was flooded and motorists were advised to use the Asian Highway instead.

In the northern province of Chiang Mai, the Ping River rose again yesterday afternoon and overflowed into the heart of the province late last night.

Sitthichai Techajongjinda, managing director of the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar shopping centre, estimated flood damages to businesses in his area at more than 100 million baht.

According to the Public Health Ministry, the severe flooding in the country has made nearly 400,000 people suffer physical illnesses, almost 1,500 people develop high stress, 3,200 people to suffer from depression and nearly 400 to have suicidal tendencies.

BANGKOK POST