Thai dams prepared for more downpours

BANGKOK, September 19 (TNA) - The state-run Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has closely monitored the updated water situation and prepared main dams for their intakes of more downpours caused by the now Mangkhut low-pressure trough from southern China. EGAT Assistant Governor Natthawut Chaemchaeng told journalists of the development on September 18, when the strong Mangkhut trough started to hit Thailand for a couple of days, as forecast by the Meteorological Department. "Although the earlier "Mangkhut" storm has been weakening to become a low-pressure tract, it remains a strong trough passing through Thailand around the middle of this week. Besides, the strong southwest monsoon is covering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. All the factors should cause frequent downpours in the country widely during the affected period, particularly in the western part of the central region, as well as the eastern and the southern regions. EGAT has, thus, prepared main dams, especially those in the affected regions, for their more intakes of downpours this week", the EGAT assistant governor explained. The EGAT assistant governor stated that his agency has released water from main dams since late last month, enabling most of them to now have more rooms for the coming downpours. According to the EGAT assistant governor, the water level at the main Vajiralongkorn Dam in the western Kanchanaburi Province was measured at about 8.26 billion cubic meters, or 93 per cent of its total capacity, on September 18 and it is able to take additional 598 million cubic meters, but EGAT is releasing water of a total of about 53 million cubic meters a day from the dam until September 23 because its latest water level appeared to be higher than a standard controllable benchmark. For the Srinagarindra Dam, also in Kanchanaburi, the EGAT assistant governor reported that its water level was measured at about 16.31 billion cubic meters as of September 18, or about 92 per cent of its total capacity, but its latest water level was within its standard controllable benchmark as it is able to take more downpours of up to about 1.44 billion cubic meters, noting, however, that EGAT is releasing a total water of about 28 million cubic meters a day from this dam. The EGAT assistant governor said his agency's releasing of water from the dams complies with a resolution of a government sub-committee in charged of monitoring the water situation and handling the national water management and EGAT has also informed relevant provincial agencies of its water releasing plans. The EGAT assistant governor, meanwhile, suggested the public to access its website, [www.water.egat.co.th], or the EGAT Water Application on their smart phones in case they want to follow up or know updated water levels of main dams, which have been recorded real time 24 hours through his agency's close circuit television (CCTV) system installed at the dams. (TNA)