Water level in major dams remains low despite continuing rainfall
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The Royal Irrigation Department yesterday urged people to conserve water due to the low level stored in major |dams.
News of the dam situation came as Ranong residents were told to brace for rain, flooding and large waves today and tomorrow, due to the influence of Typhoon Kalmaegi.
The department’s Centre for Water Situation Analysis and Computing reported via its Facebook page that the country’s major dams currently contain 58 per cent of their combined capacity on average, or 40,641 million cubic metres of water.
As a result, the dams could handle the current heavy rain, it said.
The department said major northern dams could support 13,500 million cubic metres of water, while major dams in the Northeast could support 3,300 million cubic metres and dams in the central and eastern regions could take another 1,100 million cubic metres.
Although the water level in many dams has risen, most were still considered low.
Because of that, the department said downstream farmers should follow the water situation closely and adhere to local irrigation authority requirements regarding the use of water.
Phichit flood into third week
In Phichit, many homes in tambon Ban Boong, Muang district, remained under one metre of water yesterday for a third straight week, with the water level expected to rise because of continuous rain.
Sanom Intheun, 64, said the situation in his low-laying neighbourhood was exacerbated by canals being blocked by weeds like water hyacinth.
In Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district, all-night downpours resulted in flood-water bringing down a brick wall, which collapsed onto two cars at about 11am yesterday.
In Trang, seaside and mountainside residents have been warned about the possibility of flooding, large waves and landslides from yesterday until Thursday.
About 800 rai (316 acres) of farmland has been flooded in Trang, while at-risk residents prepared to evacuate and move their belongings to safer places.
Fishermen in the province have not worked for two weeks due to large waves.
The sea conditions have also deterred any attempt to retrieve the two cement-transport ships that sunk off Koh Libong on September 7.
