47 provinces face flooding this weekend
The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) yesterday warned residents in 47 provinces to brace for possible flash floods and landslides in the coming days.
"People in risky areas should keep a close eye on the situation," DPMD director general Wiboon Sanguanpong warned, adding that the probability of floods should ease after tomorrow.
So far, up to 1.9 million people in 23 provinces have been adversely affected by flooding, with 140 killed and two missing. According to authorities, floods have ravaged 230 state-run medical facilities and more than 1,700 state schools.
Wiboon said the Northeast would face an added risk from Monday to Wednesday because a low-pressure ridge is expected to bring heavy downpours.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she would hold daily video conferences with governors of flooded provinces until the waters subside, adding that she believed the relief operations would continue for at least another month.
"Once the floodwaters are drained, we will have to start rehabilitating the affected areas," she said.
In Lop Buri, the waters are more than three metres deep in some spots, and provincial governor Chatchai Promlert said more than 160,000 rai of land was submerged, with waters damaging 78 roads, one bridge, 64 temples and 11 schools.
Their Majesties the King and the Queen sent a representative to Ayutthaya's Kasatrathirat Worawihan yesterday to deliver rice, sugar, fish sauce, cooking oil and other food items, while HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited flood victims in Bang Ban district yesterday morning and handed out up to 200 blankets. The princess's private deputy principal secretary Samrerng Iamsa-ard also led a team to Uthai Thani yesterday to hand out relief items on her behalf.
Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri said of the flood victims visited by the state mobile medical teams, 1,365 were found to be under a high level of stress and 3,124 others were diagnosed as being severely depressed.
"Up to 363 others are suicidal," he said.
Labour Minister Phadermchai Sasomsap said his ministry was pushing for a project to hire about 1,100 of flood-affected people in Ayutthaya to help clean up the area once the floods subside.
"About Bt1 million would be needed for the project," he said, adding that this should help ease the local people's woes.
Phadermchai said similar operations had already been implemented in Phichit, Phetchabun and Nakhon Sawan.
