Flood sirens wailed in much of Nakhon Sawan on Monday and residents fled for their lives after the floodwaters breached the levees, the latest victims of the floods still devastating much of 30 provinces, as the confirmed death toll rose to 269 people on Monday.
The 30 provinces are: Sukhothai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Chiang Mai, Roi-et, Lampang, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Kamphaeng Phet and Tak.
Disaster Relief and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said the southwesterly monsoon is also expected to cause heavy rain in Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Bangkok and nearby provinces, Chachoengsao, Rayong, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat and Phetchaburi in the next three to four days.
In Nakhon Sawan, a concrete embankment along the Ping River collapsed, allowing floodwaters to surge into the province.
Officials sounded sirens throughout the province, telling people to immediately evacuate to five temporary shelters prepared by the provincial municipality.
Reports said the water level in many areas was above one metre. The water level rose by about 50 centimetres in less than five minutes.
The atmosphere in the city area of Nakhon Sawan was chaotic, with people fleeing in fear for their lives and taking their belongings to higher ground.
Traffic was very congested and transport was difficult with roads cut off by advancing floodwaters, reports said.
About 300 to 400 military officers were transporting patients and medical equipment from flood-stricken Sawanpracharak Hospital to Chiraprawat Hospital.
Reports said more than 100 metres of embankment were damaged. Officials, soldiers and villagers were urgently piling up sandbags to plug holes in the embankment.
However, the sandbags were unable to fight off the swollen river as its water level was more than two metres.
In the capital, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has prepared 191 shelters for people in four flood-prone districts in its eastern area, which is likely to be flooded by water released from Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri into Khlong Raphipat canal in Ayutthaya.
Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said shelters were ready in Min Buri, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang and Khlong Sam Wa districts, which would bear the brunt of the flood.
The BMA would have a command post at the Min Buri district office to manage possible evacuations and flood relief in the four eastern districts. It would be ready in three days and be be equipped with necessary equipment and vehicles to enable flood relief operations.
MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)The BMA will prepare similar command posts and shelters in northern and western parts of the capital to deal with possible sudden flooding.
MR Sukhumbhand stressed that people in Bangkok should not be panicked by these measures, because it was only preparation in case of emergency. City Hall does not expect flood evacuations in all districts of Bangkok, he said.
The governor admitted he was worried about possible flooding in 27 communities in 13 districts outside Bangkok's floodwalls in addition to the four eastern districts of Min Buri, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang and Khlong Sam Wa and the BMA was evaluating flood possibilities on a daily basis.
He said the capital would have to simultaneously cope with floodwater from upper areas, increasing rainfall and the next round of high tides from Oct 16 to 18.
Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said the 1st Army Region has been instructed to deploy soldiers to help evacuate people trapped by floodwaters and to open Adisorn military camp in Saraburi to evacuees.
Gen Yutthasak said people who want to donate goods for flood victims should do so only at the National Flood Relief Centre at Don Mueang airport, because it is now difficult for ordinary vehicles to reach flooded Ayutthaya province.
National army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said plans were being drawn up to evacuate people from flooded areas in Ayutthaya, Lop Buri and Nakhon Sawan, using soldiers and military equipment.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said flood prevention measures for Bangkok have not been completed and the government is racing against time to prevent the capital being inundated.
Ms Yingluck discussed the situation with senior officials at the government's flood relief centre at Don Mueang airport this morning. They agreed that Bangkok needs three strong floodwalls upstream along the Chao Phraya River for protection.
The floodwalls will be built in Muang Ake housing estate in Pathum Thani, Rangsit Khlong 5 area and Taling Chan area behind Mahidol University. They will block floodwater from upper areas and divert it via the eastern and western outskirts of the capital to the sea, she said.
Through the eastern side, floodwater from the Pasak river will be diverted to Khlong Rapeepat and Saen Sap canals and discharged into the sea.
On the western side, water will be directed through the Tha Chin river into the sea.
Ms Yingluck said the floodwall in Muang Ake housing estate will be 10 kilometres long. The floodwall in Rangsit Khlong 5 area requires 1.5 million sandbags.
The government was addressing the problem of a shortage of sandbags and seeking quick resupply from the private sector. The government would buy all the sandbags available from the private sector to complete the floodwalls for Bangkok as soon as possible.
Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government should declare a state of emergency in selected flood-hit provinces to facilitate relief operations.
Speaking after a special meeting of the Democrat Party's shadow cabinet, Mr Abhisit said the state of emergency may not be a panacea, but it would help the government in its relief operations, particularly the evacuation of people.
It was for the government to decide where the state of emergency should be declared, without fearing whether it would affect its image, he said. The people's safety, livelihood and well being were the paramount concern.
The former prime minister suggested the government also review planned expenditure under the 2012 budget to and use the money to repair the country's infrastructure damaged by floods.
Some schemes such as the tax rebate for first-car buyers could be scrapped and the 30 billion baht budgeted for it could be used for rehabilitation and helping the people, the Democrat leader added.
Earlier on Monday, a senator also proposed during the Senate meeting that the government declare a state of emergency in selected flood-hit provinces.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/260643/flood-toll-at-269-nakhon-sawan-hit-hard
The 30 provinces are: Sukhothai, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Si Sa Ket, Surin, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachin Buri, Chiang Mai, Roi-et, Lampang, Loei, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Kamphaeng Phet and Tak.
Disaster Relief and Mitigation Department chief Wibul Sanguanpong said the southwesterly monsoon is also expected to cause heavy rain in Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Songkhram, Bangkok and nearby provinces, Chachoengsao, Rayong, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat and Phetchaburi in the next three to four days.
In Nakhon Sawan, a concrete embankment along the Ping River collapsed, allowing floodwaters to surge into the province.
Officials sounded sirens throughout the province, telling people to immediately evacuate to five temporary shelters prepared by the provincial municipality.
Reports said the water level in many areas was above one metre. The water level rose by about 50 centimetres in less than five minutes.
The atmosphere in the city area of Nakhon Sawan was chaotic, with people fleeing in fear for their lives and taking their belongings to higher ground.
Traffic was very congested and transport was difficult with roads cut off by advancing floodwaters, reports said.
About 300 to 400 military officers were transporting patients and medical equipment from flood-stricken Sawanpracharak Hospital to Chiraprawat Hospital.
Reports said more than 100 metres of embankment were damaged. Officials, soldiers and villagers were urgently piling up sandbags to plug holes in the embankment.
However, the sandbags were unable to fight off the swollen river as its water level was more than two metres.
In the capital, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has prepared 191 shelters for people in four flood-prone districts in its eastern area, which is likely to be flooded by water released from Pasak Jolasid dam in Lop Buri into Khlong Raphipat canal in Ayutthaya.
Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said shelters were ready in Min Buri, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang and Khlong Sam Wa districts, which would bear the brunt of the flood.
The BMA would have a command post at the Min Buri district office to manage possible evacuations and flood relief in the four eastern districts. It would be ready in three days and be be equipped with necessary equipment and vehicles to enable flood relief operations.
MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra (Photo by Apichit Jinakul)MR Sukhumbhand stressed that people in Bangkok should not be panicked by these measures, because it was only preparation in case of emergency. City Hall does not expect flood evacuations in all districts of Bangkok, he said.
The governor admitted he was worried about possible flooding in 27 communities in 13 districts outside Bangkok's floodwalls in addition to the four eastern districts of Min Buri, Nong Chok, Lat Krabang and Khlong Sam Wa and the BMA was evaluating flood possibilities on a daily basis.
He said the capital would have to simultaneously cope with floodwater from upper areas, increasing rainfall and the next round of high tides from Oct 16 to 18.
Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa said the 1st Army Region has been instructed to deploy soldiers to help evacuate people trapped by floodwaters and to open Adisorn military camp in Saraburi to evacuees.
Gen Yutthasak said people who want to donate goods for flood victims should do so only at the National Flood Relief Centre at Don Mueang airport, because it is now difficult for ordinary vehicles to reach flooded Ayutthaya province.
National army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said plans were being drawn up to evacuate people from flooded areas in Ayutthaya, Lop Buri and Nakhon Sawan, using soldiers and military equipment.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said flood prevention measures for Bangkok have not been completed and the government is racing against time to prevent the capital being inundated.
Ms Yingluck discussed the situation with senior officials at the government's flood relief centre at Don Mueang airport this morning. They agreed that Bangkok needs three strong floodwalls upstream along the Chao Phraya River for protection.
The floodwalls will be built in Muang Ake housing estate in Pathum Thani, Rangsit Khlong 5 area and Taling Chan area behind Mahidol University. They will block floodwater from upper areas and divert it via the eastern and western outskirts of the capital to the sea, she said.
Through the eastern side, floodwater from the Pasak river will be diverted to Khlong Rapeepat and Saen Sap canals and discharged into the sea.
On the western side, water will be directed through the Tha Chin river into the sea.
Ms Yingluck said the floodwall in Muang Ake housing estate will be 10 kilometres long. The floodwall in Rangsit Khlong 5 area requires 1.5 million sandbags.
The government was addressing the problem of a shortage of sandbags and seeking quick resupply from the private sector. The government would buy all the sandbags available from the private sector to complete the floodwalls for Bangkok as soon as possible.
Opposition Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government should declare a state of emergency in selected flood-hit provinces to facilitate relief operations.
Speaking after a special meeting of the Democrat Party's shadow cabinet, Mr Abhisit said the state of emergency may not be a panacea, but it would help the government in its relief operations, particularly the evacuation of people.
It was for the government to decide where the state of emergency should be declared, without fearing whether it would affect its image, he said. The people's safety, livelihood and well being were the paramount concern.
The former prime minister suggested the government also review planned expenditure under the 2012 budget to and use the money to repair the country's infrastructure damaged by floods.
Some schemes such as the tax rebate for first-car buyers could be scrapped and the 30 billion baht budgeted for it could be used for rehabilitation and helping the people, the Democrat leader added.
Earlier on Monday, a senator also proposed during the Senate meeting that the government declare a state of emergency in selected flood-hit provinces.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/260643/flood-toll-at-269-nakhon-sawan-hit-hard
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