Bangkok (VNA) - Many localities in Thailand are experiencing unpredictable weather, with thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rains in some areas, including the northern and central regions, as well as Bangkok capital and its vicinity.
In the central province of Nonthaburi, people living along the Chao Phraya River have been told to take their belongings to higher ground, reinforce flood barriers and urgently prepare for potential flash floods from October 6 to 23, as water levels are expected to rise by 60 - 70cm.
Currently, water flow through the Chao Phraya dam is at 2,000 cu.m. per second (m3/s), with planned incremental increases.
According to the Royal Irrigation Department, water flow at the Nakhon Sawan station is expected to reach 2,200 - 2,500 m3/s between October 11 and 23. This will cause water levels upstream of the Chao Phraya dam to rise to 2,800 m3/s.
In the neighbouring province of Ayutthaya, residents are encouraged to monitor water levels from the Bang Sai station, where water flow was recorded at 2,044 m3/s as of October 5.
Meanwhile, heavy rains in Chiang Mai province in the far north of Thailand have caused widespread flooding, not only in the main city but also in surrounding areas.
Authorities are rushing to clear roads to rescue people trapped in Muang Khong, a popular tourist destination in Chiang Mai, after several landslides cut off access. As of the morning of October 6, 6km of roads had been cleared, including five landslides, rescuing 20 tourists stranded in the area to help them return home.
Statistics from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation showed that as of October 6, 20 provinces across Thailand were still flooded, affecting more than 34,000 households, mainly in the North and Northeast. Floods affected 42 provinces, killing 49 people and injuring 28 between August 16 and October 6.
To help people cope with the floods, the Thai Ministry of Defence has mobilised more than 30,000 soldiers and thousands of pieces of equipment such as trucks, buses of various sizes, boats, cranes, excavators, water pumps, field kitchens and mobile toilets to support disaster relief efforts in the northern provinces of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai./.
