BAD WEATHER

[Bas]

12 die as floods wreak havoc

23 provinces hit; schools closed as rivers overflow

Flooding in Phitsanulok worsened yesterday, with 70 villages inundated in Bang Rakam district and 23 schools closed.

The Disaster Prevention Mitigation Department (DPMD) said that 23 provinces - a third of the country - have been affected by the latest floods. Some 12 people have been killed and 477,391 others affected.

Floodwater from Sukhothai has flowed into the Yom River, but it failed to drain quickly. The Nan River was reported to be 9.36 metres deep and the flooded area extended to 70 villages.

DPMD director-general Anucha Mokawet said the floods had affected 3,569 villages in 23 provinces, with 887,631 rai of farmland damaged. Two people were killed in Lampang, three in Sukhothai, five in Phitsanulok, and one each in Phetchabun and Chaiyaphum.

Nine provinces were flooded yesterday morning after the main rivers passing through each flowed over their banks. They were Lampang, Tak, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Angthong, Ayutthaya and Chaiyaphum, Anucha said.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin approved a Bt58-million budget to buy 60 diesel water pumps and seven giant electronic water pumps this week to tackle the problem. He also put officials on watch at 30 flood-prone spots.

Flood barriers had been set up on a 57-kilometre stretch along Chao Phya River, Apirak said.

Although the tropical depression has been downgraded to a low-pressure cell now over Burma, the Meteorological Department said the North, West and upper South would continue to have heavy rain.

Residents in lowland areas in Tak, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Ranong and Phang Nga were warned of flash floods.

People living in riverside areas in the lower North, Central and eastern regions were also told to brace for flooding.

The Public Health Ministry said there had been 100,000 cases of conjunctivitis over the past nine months, with 29,000 cases last month alone.

A southbound train was derailed yesterday morning after heavy rain eroded the track. No injuries were reported but train operations in the southernmost provinces were paralysed before resuming last night.

The Nation 2006-09-27