Drought-stricken zones declared in nearly 30 Thai provinces

BANGKOK, April 20 (TNA) - The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, under the Ministry of Interior, reports that there are now 4,911 drought-hit villages in 27 Thai provinces where water has been distributed mainly for locals' consumption. The department's director-general, Chatchai Phromlert, told journalists on April 19 that the drought-stricken villages form 6.55 per cent of all villages nationwide and the Thai government is supplying water to affected people mainly for their consumption, while also resorting to groundwater and rainmaking. According to the senior official, his department and the military have pumped 46.49 million cubic meters of water to farmlands and 6.5 billion liters to tap water plants in the affected areas, while also distributing 260.86 million liters to local consumers and handing 1.1 million liters of drinking water to them. (TNA)