Heavy rains pound Thai North while drought hits Northeast

BANGKOK, August 5 (TNA) - Heavy downpours continue to hit several lower northern provinces with many areas are now under floodwater while severe drought is affecting the Northeast. Lower northern provinces including Kamphaeng Phet and Phitsanulok are currently hit by torrential downpours while water runoff has inundated Sam Ngam district of Phichit province, damaging more than 1,000 rai of rice field. The water level of Yom River has risen rapidly. Irrigation officials in the southern province of Songkhla are busy repairing an earth dyke built along a canal which has been damaged as they prepare to handle with an expected flood later this year. Sandbags are placed along the canal and under the water before they are covered with concrete as officials expect they could finish the work next month. People living in Bangkok’s neighbouring province of Pathum Thani are now worrying of severe flood during the current rainy season after seeing that several spots of the newly built watergates which are connected with the Chao Phraya River are in poor condition even though the Royal Irrigation Department had spent more than 12 million baht in building them. Several cracks are also found on them. Although the rainy season has just started, dengue fever is on epidemic in the northeastern province of Buri Ram after more than 1,000 people were found suffering from the disease so far. A child in Nang Rong district is reported dead. People in several northeastern provinces are now suffering from severe drought. The lack of rainfall in Kalasin province has already damaged rice field and many families do not even have enough rice to eat. Both the public and private agencies are now offering assistance to these needy families. Because of the drought, the water level of the Chi River in Yasothon province has dropped significantly. Fishermen owning small trawlers have temporarily stopped fishing because of the shallow water and the sharp decline of fishes. (TNA)