Heavy storms hit North Thailand

BANGKOK Floods and heavy rain continue to pound North Thailand as a strong monsoon trough covers the upper part of Thailand, the country’s news bureau reported Monday.
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department general director, Chatchai Phromloet, asserted that the state has already put in place flood mitigation measures such as the dredging canals and the elimination of water hyacinth from waterways. He said he was confident the 2010 floods would not be repeated this year in Thailand’s lower central plains.
However, flooding has worsened in the central plains’ province of Sukhothai, where the Yom River broke its banks last week.
In Sukhothai province, the site of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the swollen Yom river spilled over into 204 villages in seven districts of Muang, Si Satchanalai, Si Nakhon, Thung Saliam, Si Samrong, Sawankhaloke and Kong Krailat.
Throughout the country 10 people died and more than 14,000 households have been affected by flooding since August 26, which has struck 737 villages in 28 provinces, according to the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
The situation has eased in many provinces, but today the department warned the situation in Sukhothai, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Rai, Tak and Phichit had not improved.
In Chiang Rai’s Mae Sai district, border shop houses were hard hit by flash flood from the swollen Moei river. Many of them were unable to move their belongings to higher ground and damage was estimated at about THB100 million.
Three other districts of Chiang Rai have also been flooded, but the most critical area is Mae Sai district.
Water levels of the Mekong River on the border with Thailand and Laos are reaching record heights too, mainly caused by a release of water from dams in China and heavy rain storms throughout the Mekong Region.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department reports that 60% to 70% of upper Thailand is now experiencing heavy in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok and Phetchabun.
A low pressure trough in the South China Sea is projected to move closer to Vietnam’s coast today, and this will result in an increase in rainfall in Thailand this week.

sourced:ttrweekly.com