Reports of cracked Buri Ram reservoir wall ‘fake news’, say authorities
Buri Ram authorities dismissed social media warnings of a crack in the Lam Takhong Reservoir, saying that heavy rain had only damaged the neck of a bridge nearby.
Photos of a cracked wall with a stream of water flowing through it went viral on social media on Friday. The post included a message warning people in Satuek and Khaen Dong districts that the reservoir had a crack and that they should prepare for flash floods.
Sunthawat Riewluang, chief of Buri Ram Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, responded by saying that the person who posted these photos may have mistaken the bridge for the reservoir’s wall and confirmed that the dam’s structure has been investigated and no cracks were found.
He said that heavy rains in several parts of Buri Ram over the past few days had forced the Chorakhe Mak Reservoir in Muang district to discharge more water into the Lam Takhong Lake, causing an overflow and damaging the bridge as well as the road leading to the reservoir. However, he said, no damage was done to the reservoir’s structure.
Sunthawat added that runoffs caused by the damaged bridge had created a minor flood in some residential areas and temples in Khaen Dong district. He added that work is being done and the bridge should be fixed by Saturday if there is no more rain.