Floods spur evacuation work

Thai military and rescue personnel on standby as Mekong level rises

BANGKOK: Thai Interior Minister Anupong Paochinda has instructed governors of all northern provinces to prepare evacuation of residents as the water level in the Mekong river continues to rise.

Before noon on Tuesday, the Mekong river had burst its banks, allowing water to flow into riverside areas of Mukdahan province.

Mukdahan governor Paithoon Rakprathet said the water level at the Mukdahan hydrographic centre measured 12.54m – higher than the designated “maximum level” of 12.50m.

At the Indochina market, hundreds of shops moved their goods to higher grounds.

“Aside from the monsoon floods, water discharged from the Nam Ngum 5 Dam in Laos into Nong Khai province has also increased the water mass in the river.

“Because of this, we had to declare the districts of Muang and Dong Luang as flood disaster zones,” said Paithoon.

Col Boonsin Padklang, commander of the military peace-keeping force in Mukdahan, has deployed soldiers to help flood victims.

Military trucks have also been sent to flood-stricken areas to transport residents out and into higher grounds.

Meanwhile, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Tuesday announced warnings that 20 northern provinces were at risk of flood disaster due to high cumulative rainfall.

Chiang Rai and the six northeastern provinces of Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Yasothon, Roi Et and Ubon Ratchathani were especially warned of flash floods flushing in from the Mekong river due to continuous heavy rainfall in northern and central Laos.

On Monday night, flash floods in Chiang Rai’s northernmost district of Maesai displaced 500 households, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Last Saturday, a mudslide in another northern province killed a family of eight and forced more than 200 residents into temporary shelters.

In northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, flash floods submerged several communities along its banks.

Officials said the water level had risen an average of 40cm to 50cm per day.

On Monday, an officer from the national power utility said the Vajiralongkorn Dam in Kanchanaburi province was at 78% capacity, its highest level in 34 years.

Thailand’s national weather agency said about 70% of the north and northeast would see thunderstorms for the rest of the week, while less rain was forecast for the rest of the country through Saturday.

Flooding usually peaks around October.

The last mega flood in Bangkok occurred in 2011, causing billions of baht in damage.