Thailand Under a Nationwide Flood Watch for Due to Heavy Rain

On Sunday, government authorities in Thailand issued a nationwide flood watch, warning that heavy rains will increase throughout the first week of this month. According to the Meteorological Department, the North, the Northeast, and the South will all see significant rainfall on Sunday and Monday.

The lower Northeast, lower Central Plain, the East, and the South might have significant rainfall from Tuesday through Saturday.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation issued a warning to residents of 11 provinces around the Chao Phraya flood basin that rising flood levels could threaten their homes beginning on Monday.

The alert went sent to the people of Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Chai Nat, Lop Buri, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri, and Uthai Thani.

Parts of Ang Thong and Ayutthaya that are low to the ground may see water levels rise by between 1.00 and 1.50 metres.

The forecast for this week predicts heavy rainfall in the Northeast, Central Plain, and Southern regions, with much of the precipitation coming from the North.

On Sunday, the Yom River flooded into the Muang district of the northern province of Sukhothai due to broken embankments, impacting roughly 1,300 homes and 2,400 rai of farmland.

The province of Sukhothai, according to Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin, may experience an increase in flooded regions as a result of torrential rains coming from neighbouring Phrae province.

In the Northern province of Phetchabun, the Lom Sak district saw receding floodwaters on Sunday. The local reservoirs, according to Phetchabun governor Krit Kongmuang, are between 80% and 90% full.

On Sunday, the Highways Department stated that floods and mudslides had rendered four highways in the northern provinces of Lampang, Lamphun, and Sukhothai inaccessible.

These included Highway 1102 in Lampang’s Mae Phrik district, Highways 1010 and 1184 in Lamphun’s Ban Hong and Thung Hua Chang, and Highway 1056 in Sukhothai’s Sri Samrong.

As the northern run-off from the Yom River is projected to produce more floods in provinces downstream, including Sukhothai and Phitsanulok, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin on Saturday ordered a swift reaction to the floods currently occurring in numerous provinces in upper Thailand.

On Saturday, reports surfaced of flooding in numerous provinces in the north and northeast, including Phrae and Phetchabun, where one deluge had triggered an evacuation in several regions.

Government spokeswoman Chai Wacharonke said that Mr. Srettha had stressed the importance of the Ministry of Interior and other relevant state agencies reaching out to flood victims as soon as possible to safeguard their safety and provide flood relief.

The Prime Minister has been kept apprised of the flood situation and has given Deputy Prime Minister Somsak Thepsutin authority over the flood response efforts now being coordinated by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Transport, as reported by the Ministry’s official spokeswoman.

Overflow from the Yom River is likely to flood more settlements in Sukhothai and Phitsanulok, therefore Mr. Chai said the flooding will continue for at least another day or two in those areas.

He added the provinces located downstream of the Yom River should expect a significant amount of runoff from the north, thus the Royal Irrigation Department is currently in a race against time to redirect as much runoff as possible into the Nan River.

The provincial government of Phrae urged all district offices and local administrative bodies to stay on high alert and prepare for additional flooding yesterday. On Saturday morning, the province in the north saw more heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and evacuations in numerous areas.

The runoff flooded several homes and streets in the Den Chai, Long, Sung Men, and Muang districts. The rising flood waters on Saturday caused extensive damage to numerous automobiles, especially in the Muang district.

Yesterday, rescue personnel in Mae Hong Son’s Mae Sariang area cleared the roadway of huge trees and electricity posts that had fallen during the recent downpour. Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang hastened to the flood-ravaged province of Udon Thani, where the districts of Phen and Si That are located.

He claimed to have ordered the deployment of military medical personnel to flood-stricken areas to provide relief to those in need.

The Flooding in Phrae, Thailand, Derails Express Train

The flooding in Phrae, Thailand, caused an express train to derail