District heads meet to sketch plans for Doksuri aftermath

Nine provincial district chiefs from Phitsanulok, ravaged by floods, were called to an urgent meeting yesterday to map out disaster mitigation plans, with the vast Bang Rakam fields being used for water catchment.

Provincial governor Supachai Iamsuwan called the meeting with the chiefs of nine districts, three of which were badly battered by floods left behind by tropical depression Doksuri.

Chiefs of Bang Rakam, Phrom Phiram and Muang districts, which are in the Yom River basin, were ordered to establish a fastdeployment unit to promptly assist flood victims either stranded in their flooded homes or placed in shelters.

In other districts including Wang Thong, Nakhon Thai, Noen Maprang and Chat Trakan, floodwater was steadily receding.

Provincial authorities were working to divert water into the Bang Rakam fields covering 265,000 rai in three districts — Muang, Phrom Phiram and Kong Krailat district of neighbouring Sukhothai.

The diversion is expected to expedite flood relief in Phitsanulok. The fields have a capacity to hold 400 million cubic metres of water.

Since being hit by Doksuri last week, the Bang Rakam fields still have room to absorb 250 million cubic metres of water, according to the provincial irrigation office.

Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said heavy rain during Sept 15-17 caused runoff and overflow in 12 provinces — Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon, Loei, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Chiang Rai, Lampang, Chaiyaphum, Satun and Phangnga.

While the flood situation in some of these provinces was improving, seven were still suffering. They were Chaiyaphum, Phitsanulok, Kalasin, Phetchabun, Chiang Rai, Lampang and Satun.

Also, six schools in Chaiyaphum’s Muang district were closed and businesses shut their doors due to flooding.

Water pumps were deployed to drain water in the heart of the town into the Chee River, which was expected to be completed in a few days if there is no more rain.

Chaiyaphum is among 12 provinces battered by flooding triggered by Doksuri over the weekend.

In Sakon Nakhon, irrigation officials yesterday expedited efforts to discharge water from Nong Han Lake, the country’s second-largest freshwater lake, to prevent overflow from the lake and its affiliated watercourses.

The lake’s water level rose because of the tropical depression that hit the country.