Floods Continue in Central Thailand

AYUTTHAYA, Oct 6 (TNA) - Flood conditions are escalating in central Thailand's Ayutthaya and Ang Thong provinces as the Chao Phraya Dam sustains a high discharge rate, impacting tens of thousands of homes.

Water levels in the Chao Phraya River, Noi River, and tributaries in Ayutthaya are rising by an average of 10 centimeters as the dam releases 2,500 cubic meters per second. The continuous overflow has affected 11 districts and over 43,882 households. The hardest-hit area is Bang Ban district, where floodwaters have reached the second floor of some houses. Rescue teams navigated strong currents to evacuate two elderly sisters, aged 92 and 90, and children to safety.

In neighboring Ang Thong, water from the Chao Phraya breached a dike at Wat Ton Son late last night for the third time this season. Monks rushed to move belongings as water overwhelmed pumps, and officials deployed large 'Big Bag' sandbags to plug leaks at the temple. Four districts are now flooded, affecting 1,376 homes.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired the inaugural meeting of the National Disaster Relief and Management Committee this afternoon. 

The Prime Minister ordered the creation of this centralized, one-stop mechanism after observing during a recent visit that past relief efforts were often slow and inadequate for residents facing chronic annual flooding. -819 (TNA)