Flood-prone provinces warned of possible inundations

BANGKOK, July 24 (TNA) - The Meteorological Department has warned people in flood-prone areas of heavy downpours over the next couple of days, especially those in Nakhon Ratchasima, Sa Kaeo, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phang-nga provinces. The Meteorological Department also forecast on Wednesday that waves in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand should be 2-3 meters high, advising fishermen with small boats to stay ashore and those with bigger boats to take extra precautions. The weather agency predicted, however, that downpours should decline on July 25-26, when the monsoon above Thailand should weaken. In Nong Khai province in the Thai Northeast, for instance, the level of the Mekong River has been rising by 30 centimeters daily, standing at 6.28 meters on Wednesday morning, the same level of the corresponding period of last year. Water levels in the Mekong River are expected to further increase from late this month to mid next month. Public workers in Chiang Rai province in the Thai North, on the other hand, have used machinery to build a rock embankment along the Mekong River to prevent erosion, as the river is expected to further rise in the ongoing rainy season. Engineers of the Naresuan Dam in Phrom Phiram district of Phisanulok province in the Lower Thai North are also checking all five sluice gates of the dam and put staffs on standby to cope with water from upstream areas due to persistent downpours. Meanwhile, flooding in Chanthaburi province has remained critical, as two people have been killed and some areas have been submerged by as high as one-meter-floodwater due to a high tide from the sea, while 14 local schools have remained closed. One of the two dead people was a nine-year-old boy who drowned in strong currents and the other was a man killed by an electrical shock while fishing in a flooded area. Although the rain stopped and floodwater slightly receded in Muang Chanthaburi district on Wednesday morning, business areas in the heart of the eastern Thai province have remained under a close watch of agencies concerned due to the high tide from the sea. Local officials have raised red flags to warn people of flood levels, while streets in the heart of Chanthaburi have remained over 60 centimeters under floodwater, causing impassable to small vehicles. In the Thai South, downpours have continued in Ranong province for days and the Phetkasem Highway has been under over one-meter-deep floodwater at a distance of about 50 meters, while roadside soil has also sunk and damaged water pipes. In Ra-ngu district of Satun province, also in the Thai South, a rainstorm has damaged more than 10 houses in three villages but there have been no casualties. Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha told journalists that 186 companies of army soldiers have been mobilized to help disaster victims nationwide and the soldiers can reach the victims right away without having to wait for an order. The Navy chief said that he has also ordered his subordinates to assist flood victims in the eastern Trat and Chanthaburi provinces. (TNA)