Samut Sakhon warns of floods due to extreme high tides this month

The Samut Sakhon provincial administration has warned residents to brace for potential floods during two periods of extreme high tides.

The provincial administration referenced a report from the Hydrographic Department of the Royal Thai Navy, stating that two exceptionally high tides are expected between October 9-11 and October 23-25, causing sea levels to rise much higher than normal.

During these high tide periods, some roads and coastal communities may experience flooding, the provincial administration warned. Additionally, the Tha Chin River may overflow in Muang, Ban Phraew, and Bang Lane districts.

Residents in these risk zones are advised to move valuables and electrical appliances to higher ground and inspect flood barriers around their homes. Houses in low-lying areas along the river are encouraged to prepare sandbags for protection.

Local authorities have been instructed to reinforce flood barriers around communities and staff pumping stations on a 24-hour basis.

The provincial administration also cautioned that rising sea levels could cause the Tha Chin River to become salty, which may affect farming in Ban Phraew and Krathum Ban districts. Farmers are urged to pump water from the river into their rice fields and garden canals ahead of the high tide periods to avoid saltwater damage.

The October 9-11 period is designated as the King Tide, occurring during the Full Moon when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align, intensifying their combined gravitational pull.

The October 23-25 period will experience a Spring Tide, during which the Sun, Moon, and Earth align (a phenomenon known as syzygy) during the New Moon and Full Moon, creating larger-than-average tides due to their combined gravitational forces.

Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported that 118,000 families across 94 districts in 19 provinces have been affected by flooding.