Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has prepared 1.5 million sandbags for the arrival of northern runoffs. His statement comes after the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) boosted water release from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat province.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt told reporters that he is less concerned about northern runoff than about severe rainfall in the city, which might create flooding. Nonetheless, he stated that some 250,000 sandbags have already been placed in gaps in the flood walls to prevent runoff from spilling into the city.
He emphasised that the BMA is adequately prepared and will work with all appropriate agencies to deal with the massive influx of water.
People living near waterways in 11 provinces of the Chao Phraya river basin, including Bangkok, are being warned that water levels may rise owing to a flood of runoff from the north.
On Tuesday, the Royal Irrigation Department reported that the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan province was flowing at 1,169 cubic meters per second. The agency was diverting water from the river to connect canals on both sides of the Chao Phraya.
After receiving water from the Pa Sak River, the Chao Phraya flowed at 1,192 cubic meters per second in Ayutthaya province.
On Friday, the department predicted that the flow of the Chao Phraya River will reach 1,400 cubic metres per second in Nakhon Sawan and 1,700 cubic metres per second at the Chao Phraya barrage dam in bordering Chai Nat province.
Meanwhile, Phrae runoff is streaming down Sukhothai province’s Yom River, inundating low-lying communities in Mueang, Sawankhalok, Si Somrong, and Si Satchanalai districts.
The Yom River today has an average depth of 7.69m, which is still below the banks’ tops, except in low-lying regions.
Another mass of water from Phrae’s Wang Chin area is projected to reach Si Satchanalai about noon today, with a flow rate of 1,700 m3/s, which is around 500 m3/s more than the local water management capacity.
The National Water Resources Office has chosen to send excess water via the Saphan Chan sluice gate into a network of canals, reducing the quantity that reaches the provincial town.
The irrigation department also reported that flooding was still occurring in Chiang Rai, Nan, Nakhon Phanom, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, and Suphan Buri provinces.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
