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Disaster zones across country as rain falls, levels rise
By The Nation
Continuously heavy rain has severely affected residents in many provinces, especially in the North. A number of areas have been declared disaster zones.
Eleven provinces in the Northeast were yesterday warned of runoffs and mudslide threats until tomorrow, due to the influence of tropical storm Mindulle.
The Meteorological Department urged people in Roi Et, Yasothon, Mukdahan, Ubon Ratchathani, Si Sa Ket, Amnat Charoen, Loei, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Sakhon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom to closely monitor its daily forecasts.
Southern people too are bracing for possible disasters.
In the Northern province of Phrae, a flood assistance centre was set up yesterday in Wang Chin district to help residents after 700 households were hit by run-off and local waterway overflow on Sunday.
Around 3,500 rai of farmland were damaged and the governor has announced five tambons as disaster zones.
As of the press time yesterday, the flood situation there was back to normal, with no injury or deaths reported. However, agencies and locals will need to watch the situation around the clock until tomorrow to safeguard from heavy runoffs and mudslides.
Also, eight tambons of six districts in Lampang province of the North have been declared disaster zones after runoffs and flash floods ravaged 700 houses there on Sunday.
The six districts included Muangpan, Jae Hom, Wang Nua, Hang Chat, Koh Kha, and Thoen. There are no reports of injury and death and the province's governor is spending Bt50 million to support affected local residents.
Yom River overflowed its branch, called Pak Khlong, causing floods in tambon Pakkhwae of Muang district and tambon Thapphueng of Srisamrong in Sukhothai province.
To protect families l along both sides of the waterway, 10,000 sandbags are in place as flood levels continue to rise.
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Lamphun Provincial Office head Chumphorn Intathep said the office was monitoring the Mae Kuang river after it and the Mae Tha overflowed and flooded some parts of Muang and Pasang districts on Sunday.
He said the level of Mae Tha river had dropped, but it was still necessary to watch the Kuang river because its level had reached 4.29 metres. The crisis level is five metres, which could mean flooding of the downtown Muang district.
As many as 1,300 houses and 2,000 rai of farmland in Phichit province's Sam-ngam district were damaged by flash floods and the overflowing Yom River. Strong winds also damaged 34 houses in Muang district.
In the South, residents on Sin Hai Island of Ranong province are bracing for evacuation as heavy rain and rising sea levels threaten their houses. Locals in Phanom district of Surat Thani province were warned of possible landslides following long-lasting heavy rain there.
-- The Nation 2010-08-24
