Bangkok braces for floods after sudden dam discharge
Locals caught off guard as warning arrives too late for many homes
Residents in Bangkok’s Khlong Toei district are scrambling to prepare after the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) announced an increase in dam discharge, raising flood risks along the river.
The dam’s discharge rate raised from 2,800 to 2,900 cubic metres per second early this morning, November 11.
The move, aimed at relieving pressure from recent northern rainfall brought on by the remnants of Tropical Storm Kalmaegi, comes at a critical moment. High tides are expected to slow water flow out to sea, raising the risk of waterlogging in low-lying areas of the capital.
Khlong Toei, known for its riverside communities, is now in the flood zone spotlight. But many locals say they were caught unprepared, with little support and even fewer sandbags.
Nitthakarn Meateetontipong, a 50 year old teacher, told local media that her school was already affected.
“Students had to wade through water just to get to class. It’s very worrying.”
In other parts of Khlong Toei, the warnings came too late. A 54 year old woman living with her elderly parents said she received the alert around noon yesterday, November 10, by which point her house was already under water.
“I’m exhausted trying to clean up. It’s affecting my mental health too. There was no time to prepare.”
A 65 year old woman living near Wat Khlong Toei Nai said she woke early yesterday morning to find her home flooded, first noticing the chill and a silent air-conditioner, already shut down by rising waters.
Despite the chaos, some locals expressed their frustrations.
One resident near Wat Saphan’s watergate told reporters, “I get that the dam needs to release water, but we haven’t been told clearly what help is available.”
Upstream stations have confirmed increasing water volumes, and officials are now rushing to pump excess water out to sea using coastal stations such as Suvarnabhumi, according to Bangkok Post.
In the meantime, residents are relying on their own networks for sandbags and support, frustrated by what they see as a lack of timely action by local administrations.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
