School hit by flash flood

A torrent of floodwater suddenly poured into the Anuban Wat Angthong School at about 3pm yesterday just as more than 2,500 students were preparing to conclude their semester.

Many parents were already at the school with their motorcycles and cars, waiting to pick their children up, when the water raid erupted out of the blue.

Shock and stampede followed, as teachers and parents tried to herd the children back to school buildings and gather on the second and third floors.

The school is located in Angthong's Muang district.

To prevent the school, temples and towns in the Ban Ror and Ban It communities in the district from being flooded, officials formed sandbags and cement blocks as embankment against the overflowing Chao Phraya River since Tuesday.

Yet, as the water level in the river rose so fast, it pushed down a portion of embankment and sent floods to the protected area as well as the Anuban Wat Angthong School.

Governor Wisawat Sasisamit quickly dispatched rescue workers to the school to help the stranded children, parents and teachers ol.

Six of seven districts in Angthong have been declared disaster zones -Muang Ang Thong, Chaiyo, Pa Moke, Pho Thong, Sawaengha and Wiset Chai Chan.

Runoff has reached several rivers, causing them to overflow and inundate many provinces.

Authorities have piled up barriers as high as possible, but many sections collapsed under fierce pounding by currents in various rivers yesterday.

Only some dykes remained strong and firm. In Phitsanulok, the weir stayed in place but Nakhon Phitsanulok town was getting real worried. Nan River almost surged above the sandbag wall.

Wichien Chawalit, permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry, said flooding had raged on in 30 provinces, upsetting the lives of more than 1.2 million people.

He added that floodrelated death tolls already rose to 91 with two victims reported as missing.

Deputy Interior Minister Thanis Thienthong disclosed that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had emphasised that proper earlywarning system must be put in place in risky areas.

"The early warning could have saved lives and prevented property damages," Thanis said, "We will work on that".

As of now, he said the government was urgently delivering assistance to floodhit people.

On Wednesday night, the government also held an event to raise fund for the flood victims. Yingluck said the event attracted over Bt363 million in donation, and expressed thanks to the donors.

Deputy prime minister and commerce Minister Kittiratt Na Ranong, meanwhile, said that some agricultural products could be of shortage due to floods.

He conceded that there was wide impact from the flood, however, it was too soon to assess the impact to the country's gross domestic product.

The commerce minister will monitor product prices to prevent unexpected price rises by distributors, he said.

Farmers should harvest rice sooner than expected as rice could contain higher humidity levels, he said. "(he government is willing for the rice pledge but the humidity levels will be also taken into account," he said.

Dam                            Province                      Water volume (as a percentage of capacity)

Bhumibol                       Tak                                            86%

Sirikit                            Uttaradit                                     95%

Kwai Noi Bamrungdan  Phitsanulok                              102%

Nam Oun                        Sakon Nakhon                         106%

Lam Takhong                 Nakhon Ratchasima                   81%

Lam Phra Plerng            Nakhon Ratchasima                   87%

Pasak Jolasid                 Lop Buri                                    95%

Srinakharin                    Kanchanaburi                             84%

Nong Pla Lai                 Rayong                                      100%

Prasae                           Rayong                                      107%