Flooding in Pattaya over 1 metre deep strands cars, floods homes

Pattaya was battered this morning by heavy rains that caused flooding in rural areas and major city roads in Pattaya and Banglamung. The floods stranded many vehicles on the road with some areas seeing floodwaters reaching up to 1 metre high. Many criticised local authorities as flood management projects were supposed to help avoid situations like this.

The heavy rains pounded Pattaya for 5 hours, starting during the morning rush hour around 7:30 am and not relenting until midday in most areas. The gathering water hit roads around the city and surrounding area from 30 centimetres in some areas to flooding as high as one metre on some Pattaya roads.

Sukhumvit, Soi Khao Talo in tambon Nong Prue, and behind Samakee Tham Temple by the railway were all deeply flooded. Houses on Soi Khao Talo filled with water up to one metre deep with many residents unable to save their belongings that were soaked and destroyed.

Traffic delays backed up several routes around town with traffic police and local police doing double duty directing traffic while helping people as they became stranded in the high floodwaters. Multiple vehicles were stuck in the deep waters as well.

When the rain finally subsided, it took about 2 hours for the floodwaters to recede and the flooding emergency to subside with Pattaya traffic back to normal by later afternoon.

Pattaya City officials came under fire as they have been working since last December on a project that was supposed to resolve this problematic flooding. Authorities said the flood management project is ongoing and not yet ready to help with today’s rain.

The plan, which has 655 million baht of funding from the Eastern Economic Corridor, would create water-evacuating canals around the city and install water pumps to move water quickly out of flood-prone areas. It will also repair existing water pumps.

The project expects to significantly reduce flooding in Pattaya that is often a major issue during the rainy season, especially around the railway road. Unfortunately though, it is a long-term project and not planned to be operational for another year, with city hall estimating the project will be fully completed next August.

SOURCE: The Pattaya News