Phetchaburi braces for water release from upstream dam
The Public Health Ministry has instructed hospitals in downstream areas that will be affected by the release of water from dams to move their medical supplies and equipment to higher ground and take measures to tackle possible flooding of their premises.
The ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Jessada Chokdamrongsuk said yesterday that he has instructed the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre to keep a close watch on the state of the dams, and tell at-risk hospitals to take the following steps:
1. Move medicines, medical supplies and equipment as well as generators to higher ground;
2. Prevent flooding of the premises by piling up sandbags and installing water pumps;
3. Keep medication, supplies and oxygen tanks ready as well as prepare first-aid kits;
4. Survey and formulate a plan to take care of bed-ridden patients, pregnant women and ailing elderly persons under the hospital’s jurisdiction;
5. Have mobile medical teams on standby and coordinate with related agencies to provide a safe shelter in case floods block hospital entrances.
Residents of Petchburi’s Muang district are braced for the impact of water being released from the upstream Kaeng Krachan dam on Sunday afternoon. This could submerge the Muang district as well as communities in Kaeng Krajan, Tha Yang, Ban Lat and Ban Laem districts.
Jessada said he has instructed all public health offices, especially the Phetchaburi Public Health Office and the King Mongkut Memorial Hospital, to pile up sandbags and have water pumps at the ready. Four-wheel-drive vehicles and 20,000 sets of medical supplies for flood victims have also been prepared, he said.