SUKHOTHAI, Sept 4 (TNA) – The water level in the Yom River, passing Sukhothai’s provincial seat keeps rising as local authorities have tried to protect the town’s inner areas.
In Muang Sukhothai municipality, floodwater has emerged on a bridge, forcing officials to close it to traffic for fear of possible danger to motorists.
Municipal officials, police officers, monks and volunteers filled sandbags to protect a community from overflowing water.
Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha is visiting flood–stricken provinces of Phitsanulok and Sukhothai today to inspect the latest situation and operations to provide assistance to local people. Relief supplies have been handed out to flood victims.
The flood situation in four districts of Phitsanulok has improved. Only lowing-lying farmlands remain under water.
In Phetchabun, cracks were seen at parts of the flood wall along the Pasak River at the Lomsak museum and it could collapse after the river received forest run-off, flowing from mountain ranges in Loei province. Low-lying areas have been submerged.
As northern run-off is flowing to the central provinces, the Royal Irrigation Department needs to release more water from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat province.
RID director-general, Thongplew Kongchan said the water in the Chao Phraya River, running through downstream central provinces would rise.
The department has already informed provincial governors to alert local residents and businesses to brace for the rising water.
The department has also diverted water from the Chao Phraya River to its connecting canals to cut the water volume in this main river, passing the country’s central plain. (TNA)