Authorities in Thailand's flood-prone areas on alert

AYUTTHAYA, September 14 (TNA) - Authorities in Thailand's flood-prone areas have been on alert to prevent and to cope with possible inundations, following continual heavy downpours since early this week. In the central Ayutthaya Province, for instance, local authorities are urgently preparing measures against possible floods. Ayutthaya Governor Wittaya Piewpong called an urgent meeting with parties concerned on Saturday (Sept 14) to discuss flood prevention and mitigation, after all regions of Thailand have been hit by heavy downpours. The governor said observations showed that water levels in the Chao Phraya River could increase over the next couple days by 80-100 centimetres and would, probably, cause overflows in the Pong Peng and Bang Barn Canals, warning people living close to the river banks to prepare for possible flash floods. In Pitsanulok Province in the Lower Thai North, the continual downpours have already caused flash floods from the Phu Hin RongKla Mountain Range to inundate over 2,000 rais (2.5 rai=1 acre) of rice fields and other farmlands in the Nern Perm and NongKratao localities of Nakhon Thai District. (TNA)