Bangkok Flood: Froc: Remaining floodwater no threat to Bangkok

[Khun Don]

Chao Phraya level in inner BKK up slightly
Published: 11/10/2011 at 10:28 PM
Online news:

Yesterday's Chao Phraya river water level at Pak Klong Talat was at 1.94 metres above means sea level. Today it rises slightly to 1.98 metres.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Area's flood prevention system is intact.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Eastern Bangkok floods inevitable
Published: 11/10/2011 at 10:36 PM
Online news:

The most affected province from floods is Ayutthaya as it has two rivers, Chao Phraya and Pasak joining together, according to the Irrigation Department in a live TV telecast.

At the moment, Ayutthaya experiences huge amount of water upto 8,000 million cubic metres volume. This huge water is bearing down to Rangsit, Pathum Thani and will inevitably flood Eastern Bangkok around Nong Chok, Khlong Samwa, Lat Krabang, Min Buri. People are advised to move to high grounds if necessary.

Other provinces along Chao Phraya including Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi are now facing flood situations.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Bangkok kept on edge
Chularat Saengpassa
Thasong Asvasena
The Nation October 12, 2011 12:02 pm

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Bangkok should have escaped the threat of being flooded, as water travelling southwards has passed its peak while preventive measures are in place and dykes around the city and along the Chao Phraya River are intact, a senior Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) official said yesterday.

"We are quite sure that Bangkok can be saved from flooding, after monitoring tide reports last week with the Department of Royal Irrigation [RID], and finding out that the influx of water travelling through many Central provinces has passed its peak, and the water volume in the Chao Phraya is 4,000 cubic metres per second, far under a critical level," said Narong Jirasappakunakorn, director for the drainage information system division of the BMA's Department of Drainage and Sewerage.

"I can assure you of that. It's not worrying. I guarantee it," he added.

On Bangkok's west, Sala Thammasop Road will act as a barrier if dykes beyond it collapse, or are destroyed by disgruntled flood victims, while many canals can accommodate water from the Tha Chin River. "This is one example of a Plan B we have," he added. Meanwhile a primary mechanism, dubbed Plan A, such as continuing drainage and existing concrete or reinforced sandbag dykes, is intact.

In case Plan B is compromised, water can still be conveyed southwards to a royally initiated catchment area in Samut Sakhon's Mahachai area connecting southern Bangkok.

From the north, water travelling along the Chao Phraya River flows down Rangsit Canal in Pathum Thani, and in case of overflow, runs into nearby Prem Prachakorn canal, to be blocked by a major road that doubles as a barrier.

Water entering Bangkok from the east from Pa Sak Dam in Lop Buri flows down Hok Wa Canal, and if it overflows or watergates are destroyed, it will travel southwards along Romklao and King Kaew roads, which also double as barriers, preventing flooding of eastern Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport. The highest Chao Phraya water level was 2.27 metres above sea level at the record volume of 5,500 cubic metres per second, back in 1995, when no walls had been built. The minimum height of the dykes along the Chao Phraya is 2.5 metres, while the maximum is 3 metres in areas facing higher risk.

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"There will be no flash flooding in large waves of 60 centimetres high, because the water has passed its peak, as we have checked tide reports with the RID. The water volume at Pa Sak Dam has been stable for a week at about 1,050 units per second."

There is one risk factor, however, that could lead to flash flooding and high water levels - watergates or clay and sandbag barriers being destroyed by disgruntled residents, he said. But those facilities and important locations are being monitored and guarded. "In case of extreme circumstances, we must let the water flood some areas while preserving those that are more important."

Prime Minister Yingluck Shina-watra said she had instructed military and civilian agencies to strengthen several dykes in eastern Bangkok and dredge five major canals: Phra Ong Jao Chaiyanuchit, Jorrakhe Yai, Bang Chalong, Lat Krabang and Nong Ngoo Hao. These will help drain water from heavily flooded Ayutthaya and Nakhon Sawan more easily, while preventing water from combining with tides and flooding areas it passes, she said.

Work on this must be completed before October 15 Saturday, when peak seawater tides are expected.

The government's Flood Relief Operations Centre said a dyke was being built at the order of Yingluck, near Rangsit Canal 8, which links the Chulalongkorn 1 canals.

Later she flew to oversee bagging of 1.7 million sandbags for distribution to Bangkok residents, and then to observe an operation at Rangsit and Sam Wa canals in Samut Prakan, to make sure it was completed before Saturday.

[Khun Don]

Pasak dam stops releasing water
Published: 12/10/2011 at 12:32 AM
Online news:

Pasak dam in Lop Buri province stops releasing water for three days to help Bangkok cope with the flood situation, said Irrigation Department.

Ayutthaya province is the worse hit by the unprecedented floods in memory as it situates between Chao Phraya and Pasak rivers.

The floods are so strong that several temporary dikes built along Chao Phraya river in Pathum Thani have already been breached and several districts are under water.

Bang Bua Thong district dike in Nonthaburi is also breached and the flood is about 1 metre deep.

The raging torrent is now bearing down Rangsit district and expected to inundate Eastern Bangkok tonight.

Por Tek Tueng Foundation spokeman tells people to leave their houses before the flood is too deep because by then the charitable organisation cannot help evacuate the people.

"Don't care for belongings such as TV or refrigerators. If they are lost, they can be bought again. But if lives are lost, they cannot be recovered," said the spokesman.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Govt moves to protect inner city
Run-off sweeps through floodwalls in suburbs

Published: 12/10/2011 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

The government has ordered every available measure be taken to protect Bangkok's inner-city commercial and residential districts from flooding as torrents of northern run-off began to sweep through floodwalls in outer suburbs, inundating many communities.

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Meeting of minds
Opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva, second from left, and Deputy Bangkok Governor Porntep Techapaibul, left, discuss flood prevention plans with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, right, at the government’s Flood Relief Operations Centre at Don Mueang airport yesterday.

Residents of Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao were warned yesterday to watch out for more flooding.

Northern run-off is expected to reach Bangkok between Friday and Monday at a time when there are also expected to be high sea tides.

Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, who heads the government's flood relief centre, raised concern about the situation in the surrounding provinces.

But he said there was no need to declare a state of emergency as the provincial governors could handle the situation.

While efforts have been under way to protect Bangkok from being swamped, the minister said he could not confirm if the capital would be safe from floods, and it would depend on rainstorms, the run-off sweeping down from Ayutthaya and the high sea tides.

Flood prevention measures for Bangkok include diverting floodwaters to the sea and the water from the Pasak River to Khlong Rapeepat, Khlong Samwa and Khlong Saen Saep.

City Hall has also been instructed to dredge seven canals in Nong Chok and Lat Krabang to ensure they can take in more water.

The army and navy are also building floodwalls in the Muang Ake housing estate in Rangsit and in areas around the Rangsit canal, Salaya and Taling Chan to protect inner Bangkok from inundation.

Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi, chief of operations covering evacuation and flood prevention, gave assurances that inner-city areas of Bangkok would be safe.

But he admitted some suburbs, particularly in the east, west and north of Bangkok would be hit by run-off.

Water would be diverted to eastern Bangkok through Khlong Rapeepat, Khlong Prince Chaiyanuchit and Khlong Rangsit whereas run-off from the Tha Chin River would be diverted to western Bangkok, affecting Nakhon Pathom, Ratchaburi and Suphan Buri.

Veera Wongsaengnak, adviser to the Irrigation Department chief, said run-off from the Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya would reach the Rangsit canal in the next few days.

Canal-side residents in Khlong Rangsit 1-6 are advised to prepare to evacuate to high ground if the canal's banks are breached.

Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said he had instructed troops to build floodwalls to protect eastern Bangkok where Suvarnabhumi airport is located.

Wilaiwan Nadwilai, the airport's spokeswoman, said emergency plans are in place to deal with flooding at Suvarnabhumi.

She said the airport's flood prevention system includes a 3-metre-high embankment stretching 23.5km around the airport, with a drainage ditch to drain floodwater to six water retention ponds which can hold up to 4 million cubic metres of water. There are also four water pumps at the airport which can drain one million cu/m of water a day, Ms Wilaiwan said.

The Rural Roads Department has been asked to dredge the Lat Krabang canal to ensure water is drained faster and more effectively, Ms Wilaiwan said.

At the Institute of Administration Development in Pathum Thani's Thanyaburi district yesterday, more than 1,000 soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Division were racing to produce 1.5 million sandbags within two days to form a 12km-long floodwall along the banks of the Rangsit canal. The sandbag wall, to be at least 1.30 metres high, will prevent run-off from the North forecast between Friday and Monday from entering Bangkok's inner city areas. Nearby residents have also been asked to help.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the 3rd Army were carrying about 150,000 sandbags on military trucks from Phitsanulok to reinforce floodwalls in Bangkok after floodwaters in the heart of Phitsanulok receded and the situation there returned to normal.

In Pathum Thani, deputy provincial governor Panthep Sriwanich said the Chao Phraya River yesterday burst through 11 floodwalls in Sam Khok district, inundating houses and vast areas of farmland in tambon Sam Khok and tambon Krasaeng. Wat Sopharam and Wat Hong Pathuma in Muang district were flooded after a nearby dyke was breached.

In Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district, Bang Bua Thong District Hospital was under a metre of water. Twenty three patients had to be evacuated to nearby hospitals.

Nonthaburi governor Wichian Phuttiwinyu said at least 3,000 households in many parts of the province have been hit by floods triggered by days of persistent rainfall. A floodwall in the province has also been breached.

Floodwaters have now risen to 1.2 metres. Soldiers and officials were struggling to help the flood-ravaged areas, Mr Wichian said.

Wim Rungwattanajinda, spokesman for the government's flood relief operations centre, yesterday said City Hall has been assigned to dredge Khlong Ngu Hao, Khlong Bang Chalong amd Khlong Charakhae Yai whereas the Irrigation Department has been instructed to clear Khlong Prince Chaiyanuchit and Khlong Prawesburiram. The dredging work must be finished by tomorrow so the canals can take in more water coming from the North, Mr Wim said.

He said floods would be inevitable in Khlong Samwa, Min Buri, Nong Chok and Lat Krabang.

If evacuations are needed, City Hall will send out cars with loudspeakers to warn people at least three hours before the floods arrive.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

PM: Inner Bangkok won't be flooded
Published: 12/10/2011 at 03:25 PM
Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra believes the inner part of Bangkok will not be flooded provided that all concerned must keep the situation under watch.

Ms Yingluck said this in a meeting with governors of 14 flood-hit provinces via a video conference on Wednesday afternoon.

For areas outside the protected zone, they are flood-proned but the water would not be too high because it would be quickly drained out, she said.

The prime minister warned the people to be prepared to move their belongings to high ground and asked the governors to lay down a plan to set up alternative evacuation centres in case of emergency.

During the video conference, the Pathum Thani governor said the existing floodwalls are too old and always in disrepair because many people do not want them and frequently take away sandbags. He asked the government to declare a state of emergency and provide manpower to reinforce the floodwalls otherwise the water could surge toward Bangkok by midnight.

Ms Yingluck said it was not yet necessary to declare the state of emergency. She said army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha had been ordered to help strengthen the floodwalls with military personnel.

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry has been instructed to look for more sites for evacuation centres, she added.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

UPDATED 12 October: What time will it flood in Bangkok?

http://www.thaitravelblogs.com/2011/...rts-thaiflood/

[Khun Don]

Widespread rainfalls in Bangkok
Published: 12/10/2011 at 07:04 PM
Online news:

Low pressure still prevails over the Central and Eastern regions, causing widespread rainfalls and heavy rains in some areas tomorrow according to weather report this evening.

Forecast for Central Plain, rainfalls covering about 60% mainly in Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Prathom and Ratchaburi.

Bangkok will see rainfalls covering 70% with concentrated heavy rains in some areas.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Yingluck warns outer Bangkok
Published: 12/10/2011 at 08:12 PM
Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra warns people in outlying Bangkok to prepare to cope with floods, but insists the inner city is safe.

She reiterated that the government's flood relief operation centre is working well with BMA.

Meanwhile, Bangkok governor M.R. Sukhumbhan Boribhat warned Bangkokians that not all areas are 100% safe. Some floods are possible from the water run-off from the north and continuing rains. BMA personnel are assigned to monitor the situation 24 hours/day until the situation is normal.

BANGKOK POST

[Khun Don]

Yingluck orders canals dredged in 2 days
Published: 12/10/2011 at 10:07 PM
Online news:

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ordered Science Minister Plodprasop Suraswadee to take charge of dredging canals in the east and west of Bangkok to finish in 2 days in time to speed up run-off water from the North.

Meanwhile, the earlier report that Hi-Tech Industrial Estate dyke hda been breached was not true. The dyke was weakened and now strengthened. This industrial estate in Ayutthaya is safe for now.

BANGKOK POST