BANGKOK: Eleven provinces in the Chao Phraya Basin, including metropolitan Bangkok, have been warned to prepare for possible flooding as the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat province will increase its rate of water discharge.
The areas to be affected are communities located outside the flood levees along the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Suphanburi, Lopburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan and Bangkok provinces.
The Royal Irrigation Department said on Sept 26 that it would gradually increase the dam’s water discharge rate from the current 1,498 cubic m per second due to continued heavy rains and run-offs from the north.
The department said the adjustments would be made in steps but would be capped at 2,000 cubic me per second. This will raise the water levels in Phong Pheng Canal in Ang Thong province, and the Bang Ban Canal and the Noi River in Ayutthaya province, by between 1m and 1.5m.
The rising waters could also cause canals and rivers branching out from these waterways to overflow, it added.
The department reported that as at 7am on Sept 26, the water level at the C2 station in the Muang district of Nakhon Sawan province rose 21cm from Sept 25, but was still 3.29m below the bank. The flow rate at this station is 1,846 cubic m per second.
At the C3 station, or Chao Phraya Dam, in Chai Nat province, the water level rose slightly from Sept 25 but was still 3.52m below the bank. The flow rate at this station is 1,498 cubic m per second.
The flooding triggered by the overflowing of the Ping River in Chiang Mai’s Mueang district is even worse than in 2011, Nation TV reported on Sept 26.
The overflowing of the Ping River in Chiang Mai’s Meuang district led to flooded residences and commercial zones in the district on the night of Sept 25, including San Pa Khoi Market and the Charoen Prathet and Night Bazaar neighbourhoods.
At least 2,000 households were expected to be affected by the flooding, especially those in and around the Night Bazaar where water levels exceeded 1m.
Street vendors struggled to keep their products out of the water, while small vehicles were unable to pass the section of road from Nong Hoi to Nawarat Bridge. - The Nation/ANN
