Heavy Rain Warnings Issued for Northern, Thailand

BANGKOK – Meteorological in Thailand are closely monitoring tropical storm Podul. Which is expected to cross into northern Thailand and cause heavy rain between August 31st and September 1st.

The storm pushed across eastern Luzon of the northern Philippines on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Weakening to a tropical depression while it was just off the coast. But it has since regained tropical storm status since moving over the South China Sea.

Podul may reach typhoon strength prior to landfall for a second time, which is likely to be in Hainan on Friday. Followed by another landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday.

Meteorologists say that, as Podul pushes across the South China Sea, a monsoon trough is moving across northern and far northeastern Thailand. And will to develop into a low pressure cell over Laos.

Compounded by the southwestern monsoon, which is hovering over the Andaman Sea. Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand will experience strong winds and continuous rain. With isolated heavy rain as well as rough seas in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf.

Mr. Somkiart Prajamwong, secretary-general of the National Water Resources Office, said that officials are tracking the path of Podul. Adding that his office will alert people living in the northern Thailand of flash flooding from heavy rain.

He disclosed that, since August 1st, over 7 billion cubic meters of water have flowed into 35 major reservoirs, with the bulk of the water flowing into reservoirs in northern provinces, totaling 2.272 billion cubic metres.

Eleven major reservoirs in Thailand recorded more than 100 million cubic meters of water inflow each from rain fall.

However, three major reservoirs are still short of water, namely Tap Salao, Lam Phra Ploeng and Kra Siew.