Chiang Rai News
Heavy Rains Flood Mae Sai and Tachilek
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CHIANG RAI – After three days of heavy rain in Mae Sai district and Myanmar’s Tachilek, floods have spilled into markets on both sides of the Sai River.
Shop owners at the Sailom Joy market on the Mae Sai side of the border, hurriedly moved their merchandise to higher ground as the river level rose about 4.5 meters very quickly.
Floodwater was deeper, about 30 centimeters, at the Tha Lor market in low-lying Tachilek and local authorities feared the water would rise further with the continuing down-pores.
Workers had to remove trapped logs and debris from the pillars of the bridge across the Sai River there to protect its structure.
The water level measured in front of the Chiang Saen district office was 7.30 meters on Tuesday, about one meter higher than the previous day. Riverside residents have been warned to move their belongings to high places and row in the Mekong river with caution.
In September of 2014, Mae Sai’s Phahonyothin road, floods left only one traffic lane dry, causing difficulty to and jeopardizing road transportation.
The Chan river in Mae Chan district overflew and caused flooding in the Mae Chan fresh market. More than 500 houses were hit by the flood waters of 30 centimeters to one meter.
Disaster prevention and mitigation officers warned residents in flood-prone areas to brace for overflowing rivers, heavy rains have caused flooding in Chiang Rai especially in Mae Sai and Mae Chan districts.
By Chinnapat Chaimol