Water management to prevent flood in Sukhothai

BANGKOK, Aug 21 (TNA) – The Department of Royal Irrigation has diverted water from the North into irrigation canals and water retention areas to prevent flood in Sukhothai’s provincial seat. Director-General of the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), Thongplew Kongjun said he ordered provincial RID office to drain water from irrigation canals to receive the large volume of water from the Yom River. The volume of the Yom River, passing Phrae province was recorded at 850 cubic metre per second and it will reach Sukhothai’s provincial seat tomorrow evening. The Yom River becomes narrow in Sukhothai provincial seat and can receive about 550 cubic metre per second. The RID has drained water from the canal network and diverted water into water retention areas to control the volume of water below 550 cubic metres per second to prevent overflowing in the provincial seat. Floodwater in the Yom River will be also diverted into the Thung Bang Rakham water retention area in Phitsanulok. The lowing lying area in the Bang Rakham model encompasses over 150,000 acres of paddy fields. About 98 per cent of rice has been harvested and the fields are ready to receive and restore flood water in the critical situation. Water retention areas in Phisanulok can receive about 16 cubic metres of water. The director general said he ordered checks on strength of flood walls to protect the inner areas of Sukhothai. He is confident that the water management plan will be able to prevent water overflowing when the highest water volume reaches the provincial seat tomorrow. (TNA)