Troops on alert as flood threat grows

Chalermchai says army ready for evacuations

Several thousand troops have been put on alert, ready to assist flood-hit areas, army chief Chalermchai Sitthisad said yesterday.

“Our 203 companies of troops are now on standby and ready to rush out of their bases every time incidents occur,” he said, referring about 150 personnel in each company in provinces prone to flooding.

His plan was unveiled as officials in many areas are worried about imminent flooding amid the latest warnings from the Meteorological Department of more rainfall in almost all regions between tomorrow and Monday.

Officials in the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, where the high level of the Mekong River is preventing drainage from connected rivers, have declared 10 of 12 districts flood-affected zones while all district chiefs in Kanchanaburi received an “urgent fax” from the deputy provincial governor warning of the need to prepare safe areas for residents in case evacuations are needed due to severe mudslides and flash floods.

“Work with other agencies and be ready to give help to people around the clock,” the document read.

Military units have been told to work closely with provincial officials during these volatile situations, Gen Chalermchai said.

“I’ve told unit chiefs to visit areas under their supervision,” the army chief said, adding this will best prepare them for rescues and, later, restoration.

Gen Chalermchai said northern and northeastern regions are among the areas where floods are most likely while, in the West, all eyes are on heavily soaked Kanchanaburi.

The westernmost province is at particular risk of mudslides on mountains following several days of downpours, deputy Kanchanaburi governor Bawonsak Wanit told district chiefs yesterday.

Last month torrential rain slammed the remote district of Sangkhla Buri leaving many residents stranded on the upper floors of their houses without food and water.

Sakon Nakhon officials are struggling to avoid such scenes in their province as they increased the discharge rate from the Nam Oun dam, which is currently five million cubic metres over capacity.

Another 15 kalaknam, or syphons, were installed at the reservoir, to increase drainage, Royal Irrigation Department chief Thongplew Kongjun said.

Water from the dam is being released into Oun and Songkhram rivers which will flow into the Mekong in Tha Uthen district, one of 10 flooded districts in Nakhon Phanom.

Run-off from Sakon Nakhon, along with massive amounts of water from nearby provinces as well as Chi, Yang and Siao rivers, has reached Roi Et, inundating five of its districts.

Up to 23,000 rai of farmland is under water, officials said.

“Floods usually recede i n seven days and after another 13 days, things return to normal. But that will only occur when there are no additional deluges,” said Sompong Chamkramon, chief of the Khon Kaen-based irrigation bureau’s water management and maintenance division.

The situation in Kalasin is also under close watch as the daily discharge rate from Lam Pao rapidly increased the water level in the Phan River, triggering overflow into riverside communities and paddy fields in parts of Muang and Yang Talat districts.

At present, there are more than 20,000 residents in 10 provinces who are affected by floods, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chayaphon Thitisak said.

The Office of the National Water Resources will ask the government to drain water more quickly in almost all full dams in a bid to prepare them to cope with further rain.

“We have a golden period for next 10 days to discharge as much water as possible out of the dams before the next storm hits the country ... It is better than leaving the dams brimming and having no choice but to dump water en masse,” said Mr Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general of the office.

He said the office and other water management agencies will hold a meeting early next week.

The Department of Royal Irrigation also reported that the water level in Kaeng Krachan dam in Phetchaburi is 95%, and at 83% for the Vajiralongkorn dam in Kanchanaburi province.

The country also faced epic floods in 2011 ago after two major dams — Bhumibhol and Sirikit — overflowed and had to dump water downstream.