BANGKOK, Sept 2 (TNA) — Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on has ordered the Royal Irrigation Department to quickly drain floods and brace itself for more heavy rains from another storm.
Mr Chalermchai said that floods remained in 16 provinces of Phrae, Phichit, Nan, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, Yasothon, Roi Et, Kalasin, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Mukdahan and Sakon Nakhon.
Floods already disappeared in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Sa Kaeo, Chumphon and Ranong provinces.
Mr Chalermchai said he told Thongplew Kongjun, director-general of the Royal Irrigation Department, to speed up the drainage of floods in farmland to help farmers because their harvest time was approaching. Flood draining would also be accelerated in affected communities, he said.
The minister also ordered the department to brace itself for more floods as the Meteorological Department predicted heavy rains in the Northeast due to the influence of a depression near Hainan island.
Mr Chalermchai said the Department of Agriculture Extension was surveying flood-damaged farmland and he would later order assistance for affected farmers. (TNA)
