Thousands still in temporary housing after floods
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) is contacting provincial authorities to speedily drain floodwater and provide aid to affected residents in five Northern and Central provinces that remain inundated.
DDPM chief Chatchai Phromlert said on Sunday that 23 districts in Kalasin, Roi Et, Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, and Ayutthaya were still submerged, affecting 2,993 families or 9,684 people. Of these, 881 families or 3,155 people were being housed in nine temporary shelters, he said.
Chatchai also reported that the previous tropical storms from July 5 to August 15 had caused floods in 44 provinces, affecting 1.89 million people and resulting in 40 deaths.
During that period, the damage affected 3,282 homes 15 of which were totally destroyed, as well as 2,401 roads, 207 bridges and 8,753 check dams and earthen dikes, he said. About 2.3 million rai of farmland was also damaged, of which the vast majority – 2.1 million rai – was rice fields. The extent of the flooding has been easing and even returned to normal in 39 provinces.
Chatchai also quoted the Thai Meteorological Department's report that Thailand would not be affected by tropical Storm Mawar, which was moving northwest towards the upper South China Sea at speeds of up to 90 knots and expected to make landfall over Shanwei, China, on Sunday night.
