Residents in the municipal area of Chanthaburi’s Mueang district are being advised to brace for flooding today and tomorrow, as more rainfall is anticipated and runoffs into the Chanthaburi River are yet to reach the township, said Wattanasak Supaking, director of Technology and the Hydro Informatics Institute (HII).
He noted that both Chanthaburi and Trat provinces are already awash due to continuous rainfall since July 12, leaving no capacity to absorb additional precipitation. He cited the over 300mm of rain that fell on the two eastern provinces in just 24 hours on July 27.
To avoid possible flooding today or tomorrow, he said that officials must try to drain water from the Pakdi Rambhai diversion canal at a rate of 300 cubic metres/second, so it will have capacity to accommodate the runoffs expected to arrive in the Chanthaburi River.
He said water retention areas must be made available to store water drained from the diversion canal, adding that, if the municipal area can get through the critical period today and tomorrow, it may be saved from flooding because the rain is forecast to ease off in August.
Trat province is another vulnerable location under close surveillance, said Wattanasak, as runoffs from the Khao Saming mountain is yet to reach the main town. He added, however, that Trat has one advantage, in that the main town is located close to the estuary, allowing runoffs to drain into the sea quickly.
The worst case scenario is arrival of the runoffs coinciding with a high tide. Riverside residents would face flooding, as it would be difficult for water to drain into the sea.
Meanwhile hundreds of residents of Nadee district of Prachin Buri province had to evacuate early Monday morning, when runoffs from Khao Yai National Park swept through their village, following heavy rainfall in the mountainous areas over the past several days.
Three popular waterfalls in the park were also closed to tourists due to strong currents.
In the middle of the night, troops from the Prachin Buri barracks and emergency workers rushed to Ban Saphan in Saphan HIn sub-district with several flat-bottomed boats, to help in the evacuation of the villagers, their movable property and livestock.
Emergency workers said that strong currents, the rising water level, measured at about two metres in some areas, darkness and the electricity supply to the village still being connected all posed obstructions to the evacuation effort.
Most residents of the approximately 200 households in the village, particularly women, children and the elderly, were safely evacuated.
Meanwhile, Chaiya Huayhongtong, chief of Khao Yai National Park, said that the area has seen over 100mm of rain fall over past several days, with excess water flowing down from the mountains.
The popular waterfalls of Takraw in Prachantakham district of Prachin Buri, Khlong Sai Ya in Nadee district and Nang Rong in Nakhon Nayok have been closed to tourists.
Amsarin Ruansri, chief of the Ruam Katanyu emergency unit, said that rescue volunteers have been placed on standby to help in the evacuation of people living around Khao Yai National Park hit by flash flooding.
Main photo : Chanthaburi is under water.
