BMA officials open gates to let river water into city canals
More than 500 flood victims in Chai Nat yesterday demolished sandbag walls that officials had erected to limit the amount of water flowing into neighbouring Suphan Buri province.
"We have lived with floodwater for a month now. We can't put up with this any longer," said a flood victim who identified herself only as Kung.
She and her comrades at first closed the Wat Sing - Uthai Thani Road in Mueang Chai Nat district to force officials at the Phon Thep Irrigation Project to come out and negotiate with them. However, after the officials refused to come out, the local flood victims simply demolished the sandbag walls.
"The first floor of local houses are flooded. Have you thought about people whose houses have just one floor? Three locals have drowned. Our children are suffering from athlete's foot," Kung said.
The project's chief, Worachai Bamrungphon, later said his team had released some water but the locals were still not happy.
"I think within two days, water from here will reach Suphan Buri," he added.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), meanwhile, decided to open water gates to let water from the Chao Phraya River into some of Bangkok's canals.
Sanya Sheenimit, chief of the BMA's Department of Drainage and Sewerage, said the move would ease flood problems in Nonthaburi.
Previously, farmers in Bangkok's adjacent provinces lamented that the authorities' efforts to fully protect the capital came at their expense.
Deputy Bangkok Governor Pornthep Techapaiboon urged the government yesterday to quickly compensate affected people in Pathum Thani, a province adjacent to Bangkok.
Two young children, including an eight-month-old baby, were among the latest casualties of floods that now look set to hit even wider areas.
The baby, Siripop Khamroon, and his three-year-old brother Weerapop were found dead yesterday after a flash flood swept through their village in Chiang Mai's Fang district late on Friday night.
"The disaster also seriously damaged 30 houses there," Fang district chief Prakasit Mahasing said.
He said flood torrents were so powerful the whole road to the village was damaged and five bridges destroyed.
Pong Namron Horticulture Experiment Station sustained serious damage too. "The damage is estimated at over Bt50 million," Prakasit said.
Fang district was among areas at risk identified by the National Disaster Warning Centre, which yesterday warned that landslides and flash floods could hit some northern provinces this weekend due to expected downpours.
The centre said many districts of Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani and Maha Sarakham in the Northeast were also at risks of flash floods and overflows this weekend.
Central provinces such as Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Angthong, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok might also face downpours and possible flash floods today and tomorrow, it added.
Eastern provinces like Prachin Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat would also face these risks from tomorrow till Friday, it warned.
As for the South, there would be risks between Tuesday and Friday. Popular tourist destinations like Krabi and Phuket were also facing adverse weather.
"People in risky areas must be on alert," the centre said.
According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, floods have now raged in 23 provinces. None of these was in the South, however.
The official death toll stood at 153 as of yesterday morning. Three other victims were reported missing. But more deaths were reported later yesterday.
Uthai Thani Governor Wanchai Hosukhonsap said Prateep Sukiam, 57, was the latest flood victim to have drowned in his province.
"He drowned while trying to wade through floodwater to visit his elderly dad, who lived just 150 metres away," Wanchai said.
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