Sixteen people were killed by mudslides or drowned in recent flooding in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces, another 136 were injured, according to Dr. Opart Karnkawinpong, permanent secretary of public health.
He said that Chiang Rai suffered the most casualties and damage, including ten killed, 133 injured and more than 24,000 households affected by flooding in Mae Sai, Mae Chan, Mueang and Mae Fah Luang districts. Five local hospitals were affected, but they have resumed operations as normal.
Meanwhile, in Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai and Fang districts, 2,978 households have been affected. Six people were killed and three were injured. One hospital in Ban Tha Makaeng remains closed.
Dr. Opart said that 417 medical personnel have been affected by flooding in the two provinces.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Public Health had dispatched 167 medical teams to help flood victims, including 52 to Chiang Mai and 115 to Chiang Rai, adding that they have treated 1,662 victims and provided mental health support to 784 people.
He said that most of the victims suffered from prolonged exposure to dirty water, with symptoms related to respiration, muscles and bones, adding that cases of flood-related infectious diseases have not been detected.
Meanwhile, in Nong Khai province, where the rising Mekong River has flooded several districts, the Nong Khai and Si Chiang Mai hospitals have announced that they will treat only emergency cases, for the safety of patients who have to struggle through floodwater to reach them. Boats and trucks are now being sent to the province by the Ministry of Transport.
According to Nong Khai’s public relations office, the Mekong River water level is now about half a metre above the banks and steadily rising. The electricity supply to some areas in the Mueang municipality has been cut for public safety.
The Royal Irrigation Department has advised people in riparian communities in Nong Khai, Bueng Kan and Nakhon Phanom provinces to monitor the flood situation closely, as more rain is forecast for today and tomorrow.
