Despite preparatory work and several days of trying to prevent flood waters from inundating the area, the water level in Nakhon Sawan city reached 1.5 metres yesterday.
The mission was changed from trying to drain the water out and contain the flooded area to just Paknampo Market, to facilitating the city's return to something close to normal despite the flooding, and protecting the Asia Highway, which was within reach of the rising water yesterday.
Sawan Pracharak Hospital stopped providing outpatient and emergency services, but offered such services at a temporary centre at a Provincial Administration Organisation office near Phaholyothin junction.
Inpatients, meanwhile, remained on the second to seventh floors of the hospital.
Many Nakhon Sawan residents also chose to stay on the second or higher floors of their houses rather than moving to evacuation centres.
Residents were advised to use electricity extremely carefully, and were urged to lift the circuit-breaker switch in the event of any risk while electricity was still being supplied.
Despite the damage to much of their property, many flood-affected people expressed their appreciation of the efforts and cooperation among the authorities, military and the public.
Chalit Pongsitthisak, in charge of the province's disaster prevention and mitigation office, said drinking water, water distillers and toilets were much needed.
Facebook and Twitter users kept others updated about the situation.
Among other things, they reported that people from other areas were making money during the crisis situation by providing boat rides for residents and charging as much as Bt300 merely for a ride out of a soi. Their long-tail motor boats had also allegedly caused damage to some houses.
The people offering these paid services were reportedly from other districts and subdistricts that had earlier been flooded in the province.
The military also provided transportation for commuters and supplies.
Wirat Tangpradit, chairman of the lower-northern provinces' chamber of commerce, said business losses in the Nakhon Sawan city area could amount to Bt50 million a day.
Meanwhile, 200,000 out of 2 million tonnes of the province's stock of its renowned rice was reported damaged.
Nakhon Sawan chief irrigation engineer Surin Sapsakul said it would take at least two months to drain the flood water out of the province as a large additional amount of water, including from the Bhumibol and Sirikit dams, was yet to come from the North. In addition, the sea level was still high.
On Monday morning, a dyke was breached, allowing water to flood Nakhon Sawan municipality.
Mayor Chittakasem Nirote-thanarat, Governor Chairote Meedaeng and Third Army commander Lt-General Wanthip Wongwai as well as members of the community tried to fix the problem and pumped water out of the area.
However, the dyke could not withstand the surging tide and remained breached in a number of places.
Evacuation centres and essential supplies have been prepared in safe areas around the city for thousands of people.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/new/national/Long-road-ahead-before-life-in-Nakhon-Sawan-return-30167458.html
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