The Minister of Agriculture is preparing to travel to inspect the flooding in the North tomorrow. He has ordered the Royal Irrigation Department to manage water traffic in the Yom and Nan River basins, hoping to reduce the impact on the economic areas and communities in Sukhothai city. The latest report shows that 9 provinces have already been flooded.
Lt. Col. Thammanat Prompao, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, said that tomorrow he will travel to monitor the water situation in the North, along with Mr. Atthakorn Sirilathayakorn, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, to order agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to urgently help people and farmers in flood-affected areas from continuous heavy rain in the upper North, resulting in the water volume in the Yom-Nan River Basin continuously increasing. Currently (data as of 22 August 2018 at 10:00 a.m.) at the Yom Water Measurement Station Y.20, Song District, Phrae Province, the water volume is flowing at a rate of 1,
500 cubic meters per second, which is starting to decrease. The amount of water will flow down to the lower areas. At the Y1C Water Measurement Station, Ban Nam Khong, Mueang Phrae District, Phrae Province, the water level is increasing at a rate of 1,008 cubic meters per second. The water level has recently begun to overflow the banks in some areas.
As for the Y14A water measurement station in Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai Province, which is located in the lower part, the water flow rate is 640 cubic meters per second. The water level has increased slightly. The Royal Irrigation Department has monitored and controlled the water flow through the Yom River floodgate (Ban Hat Saphan Chan) before flowing through the city to be at a rate of 540 cubic meters per second by using some water to receive through the Hok Baht floodgate into the Nan River and the old Yom River before diverting it to store at the Bang Rakam water retention area. As for the area downstream of the Hat Saphan Chan floodgate, canals and
irrigation systems on both sides will be used to receive water at an appropriate level to control the flow rate through the Y.4 station in Mueang Sukhothai District not to exceed 460 cubic meters per second to reduce the impact on the economic area and communities in Sukhothai City.
Water situation in the Nan River Basin at water measurement station N.64, Ban Pha Kwang, Tha Wang Pha District, Nan Province, the water volume has started to decrease. However, at water measurement station N.1, Forestry Office, Mueang Nan District, and water measurement station N.13A, Ban Bunnak, Wiang Sa District, the water volume tends to increase because there is a volume of water flowing upstream, resulting in water overflowing the banks in Mueang Nan and Wiang Sa Districts. The Royal Irrigation Department has installed water pumps to continuously accelerate water drainage from the area.
For the water situation in large and medium-sized reservoirs nationwide, currently (data as of August 22, 2024), the total volume of water
is approximately 45,430 million cubic meters, accounting for 60% of the total capacity. It can still support a total of more than 30,907 million cubic meters of water. In the Chao Phraya River Basin alone, the four main dams, namely Bhumibol Dam, Sirikit Dam, Kwae Noi Bamrung Dan Dam, and Pasak Jolasid Dam, have a total volume of water of approximately 12,420 million cubic meters, accounting for 50% of the total capacity. They can still support a total of more than 12,451 million cubic meters of water.
According to the forecast of the Meteorological Department, the monsoon trough is passing through the upper part of the North and Laos, along with the southwest monsoon covering the Andaman Sea, Thailand and the Gulf of Thailand. This condition will cause heavy rain in some areas of the North and Northeast. In addition, during August 22-24, 2024, there will be a test line of the southeast and southwest winds at the upper level covering the Northeast. This condition will cause heavy rain in some areas of Thaila
nd and heavy to very heavy rain in the North and Northeast. Then, during August 24-27, 2024, the southwest monsoon covering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand will start to strengthen, resulting in more rain. Therefore, it is ordered to closely monitor the water situation in risk areas.
The latest report from the Royal Irrigation Department is that there are currently 9 flood-affected provinces: Chiang Rai, Phayao, Nan, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Udon Thani, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, and Suphan Buri. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, represented by the Royal Irrigation Department, will closely monitor weather conditions and water situation continuously, and will use rainfall and water volume forecasts from telemetry stations to analyze and plan water management in reservoirs to be within the specified criteria and consistent with the situation. Water traffic will be organized to be consistent and linked between areas to maximize water management efficiency. Flood risk areas will be identified, mac
hinery and tools will be prepared, including water pumps, water pushers, other supporting machinery, and personnel in risk areas to be ready to provide assistance to the public in a timely manner.
as well as integrating with the provinces, local administrative organizations, the Office of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, and relevant agencies to publicize and warn about the water situation to the public continuously. Importantly, it has been emphasized that all irrigation projects strictly comply with the 10 measures to support the rainy season of 2024 that the Cabinet (Cabinet) has approved in order to be able to prevent and alleviate problems that will occur to the public as much as possible.
Source: Thai News Agency