Downstream provinces on flood alert as Chao Phraya Dam ups discharge

The water flow from the dam was increased from 1,470 cubic metres to 1,600 cubic metres per second after upstream provinces reported more floods amid days of heavy rain.

Officials said the discharge rate could be raised to 1,800cm/s within this week.

The river level in front of the Angthong provincial hall, 70 kilometres downstream of the dam, rose 20 centimetres to 6.24 metres after Tuesday’s discharge increase.

Angthong authorities issued urgent warnings to people living along the Chao Phraya and its tributaries, including the Noi River, to brace for river overflows.

Some areas of Angthong are already submerged by floodwater.

Local officials said the bloated Noi River burst its banks to flood three villages – Moo 9, 10 and 11 – in Tambon Bang Chak of Wiset Chaicharn district late on Monday night. The floodwater reached as high as one metre, said officials, who rushed to deliver boats to local residents trapped by the rising waters.

However, residents complained the municipal authority should have built anti-flood embankments instead of giving them boats.

Meanwhile, several other northern provinces saw flash flooding and road sections washed away on Tuesday following days of heavy rain.

In Chiang Rai, the Ban Pha-I village road in Tambon Pong Ngam, Mae Sai district, fell into a ravine after three days of heavy rain. The village chief has asked the Mae Sai administration to fix the road, which is a main route for tourists visiting the northern province.

In Uttaradit, flash floods hit 26 villages in five districts following downpours on Tuesday morning.

At press time, Moo 4 and Moo 9 villages in Muang district’s Tambon Thasao were still under water.

Somporn Khanpingpook, of Uttaradit disaster mitigation office, said 120 millimetres of rain fell in Faktha district, causing the Pad River to overflow and flood several villages.

Meanwhile, floods reached urban areas of Phichit province including Thap Klo district on Tuesday morning after spreading downstream from Petchabun’s Wang Pong and Chon Daen districts. Several main roads and temples were submerged as Thap Klo officials raced to build flood levees and drain water from the commercial district. However, their efforts were frustrated by more heavy rain.

Thap Klo municipality mayor Banchong Suwanphet remarked that this was the third bout of severe flooding in the area this year.

The floods are taking a devastating toll on the lives of elderly residents in local communities, said Nirat Noochote, chair of Tambon Thap Klo public health volunteers.

She said over 300 houses in the downtown area were under one metre of water and elderly residents were trapped on the second floors.