Several Provinces in Northern Thailand under Deep Floodwater

BANGKOK, Sept 7 (TNA) - Several northern provinces are now devastated by severe flooding and people, especially farmers, are suffering as floodwater continues rising, officials said Sunday. In Phichit province, flood inundated more than 2,000 rais (1 acre = 2.471 rai )of the ‘Mali’ fragrant rice fields in Sam Ngam district which is already affected by forest runoff from Kamphaeng Phet province and from heavy downpours in the past few days, they said. The strong forest runoff has damaged a sluice gate in a village, making it difficult to control water from the runoff. The excess water then inundated farmland and damaged rice trees which had started to ripe. Farmers later lodged a complaint to Sam Ngam district officer, urging him to speed on draining floodwater from their farm to the Yom River as quick as possible. Farmers still hoped that if floodwater could be drained to the river within the next one or two days, most of their crops could survive. Officials said that flooding situation in Phitsanulok province is also critical following water runoff from Sukhothai province. Houses, especially those in low-lying areas and near the Yom River are now affected by flood. Meanwhile, the water level in the Chao Phraya River in the central Ang Thong province is now reaching at the critical level, forcing the provincial governor Pavin Chamniprasart to discuss with an army officer and concerned agencies on ways to tackle the flooding problem in the province. Out of 205 canals in Ang Thong, the water level in 17 of them is now almost overflowing the banks while another four need to solve problems immediately, officials said. A ‘task force centre’ has been established in the province to solve problems. The situation in Ang Thong’s Pa Mok district is also worrisome. People living along the banks of Chao Phraya River are concerned after finding that the water level of the river has risen rapidly. Many of them have already moved their valuable effects to higher ground. -- TNA