More than half of the flooded areas surveyed in 10 provinces are dealing with contaminated stagnant water and the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is taking steps to clean and disinfect it, the authorities announced yesterday.
Of the 1.95 million rai (312,000 hectares) surveyed so far, flood water in more than 1 million rai is contaminated, permanent secretary Suphoj Towichukchaikul told a news conference yesterday. He added that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra had instructed all involved agencies to solve the problem within 15 days.
Of the areas submerged in contaminated water, 650,007 rai are farms and plantations, while 357,540 rai are residential areas. The 10 provinces surveyed are Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Angthong, Suphan Buri, Saraburi, Lop Buri, Uthai Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Nayok and Chachoengsao.
Surveys of flooded areas in Nakhon Sawan, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya are currently underway and it is suspected that at least 2.5 million rai is contaminated, Suphoj said.
The areas that need urgent attention are garbagedisposal sites as well as residential areas and farmland that have been flooded for more than 15 days.
To neutralise the contamination, 22,500 EM balls or mudballs made using Effective Microorganisms have been scattered in Ayutthaya province's Bang Pain district, where at least a million chickens are believed to have drowned.
"One EM ball is capable of disinfecting flood water in a 4squaremetre area," he said.
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