Residents near Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River warned of imminent flood risk

People living near floodgates at the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok are being warned of a significant flood risk between now and the end of the month. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has issued the warning as officials monitor rising water levels. According to a Bangkok Post report, the river’s level is expected to rise between 20 and 40cm as a result of overflow from the Ping River, one of its main tributaries.

Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang says rising water levels could threaten 11 riverside communities, comprising 239 homes across 7 districts. The governor says the BMA has reinforced the Chao Phraya’s floodgates from the Rama VII Bridge to the district of Bang Na, as well as 14 other low-lying areas. 97 pumping stations are on standby, with spare water pumps, boats, sandbags, and other equipment also prepared.

In related news, the Bangkok Post reports that 4 large dams in the north-eastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima have exceeded their capacity, due to torrential rain. Surplus water has overflowed from the Mun Bon Dam, one of the largest in the province, and residents in the districts of Khon Buri, Chok Chai, Muang, and Chalerm Phrakiat are being advised of the risk of flooding.

In the province’s Muang district, overflowing water from the Lam Takhong River has already left households flooded, with homes and roads under more than 50cm of water, according to the report. In total, over 1.58 million rai of farmland in the north-east of the country is under water, according to satellite imagery. Another 222,402 rai remains at risk of flooding.

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SOURCE: Bangkok Post