Monday, October 03, 2011

Flash flood kills 1, closes airport. Lampang, Thailand.

Flash floods and forest runoff triggered by heavy overnight downpours ravaged northern Lampang province yesterday, damaging vast tracts of farmland in at least six districts.

The floods hit thousands of households in Ko Kha, Soem Ngam, Hang Chat, Ngao, Sop Prap and Muang districts in the early morning yesterday.

An 88-year-old man, identified as Tui Sri-inkaew, drowned at his house in tambon Kluay Pae in Muang district.

The flooding also forced the temporary closure of Lampang airport. Bangkok Airways cancelled a Lampang-Bangkok flight due to flooded runways.

Paithoon Porthong, mayor of Khelang Nakhon Municipality, said heavy downpours resulted in runoff from Doi Palad, Doi Phra Bat and Doi Muang Kham, washing into several communities between 2 and 3am yesterday.

Surapol Tansuwan, deputy mayor of Muang Lampang Municipality, said runoff had flooded many routes in Muang district, making roads inaccessible. Seventeen pumps were installed to pump floodwater from roads.

In Ayutthaya, the 500-year-old Pom Petch fort was submerged as strong currents from the Chao Phraya, Pasak and Lop Buri rivers caused a two-metre-high embankment to collapse.

Floodwater in many areas in Maha Rat, Bang Pahan and Nakhon Luang districts of Ayutthaya was as high as three metres due to runoff from the Pasak and Lop Buri rivers.

Sandbag walls were reinforced to protect the Saharattananakhon Industrial Estate in Nakhon Luang district, which houses more than 400 factories. Even so, living quarters for factory workers around the industrial estate were flooded, forcing them to move their belongings to higher ground.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra instructed the Irrigation Department and the Electric Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) to submit a full report on major dams to allay public fears that some might burst under the weight of rapidly rising waters.

Chuchart Huiklom, the department's chief engineer, said the department regularly checks all dams under its jurisdiction, adding that they were strong and would not break as feared.

Kitti Chancharoen, Egat's assistant governor for hydropower generation, said the Bhumibol and Sirikit dams would not break even though the levels in the two dams were almost at capacity.

Ms Yingluck said she would discuss flood prevention measures with city administrations today after a teleconference with governors in flood-hit Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Roi Et and Yasothon provinces yesterday.

A source said the Nonthaburi governor was seeking 50 million baht in additional flood aid and prevention funds after spending 98 million baht.

http://www.bangkokpost.com

No comments:

Post a Comment