Riverside communities in 10 central provinces, including Bangkok, are being advised to brace for overflows from the Chao Phraya River from Saturday, as the Royal Irrigation Department will increase the amount of water being released through the Chao Phraya Dam to 2,000m3/s.
Local governments have been instructed to check embankments in their areas of responsibility and to have manpower and equipment on standby to cope with possible flooding.
According to the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the increase in the volume of water being discharged downstream is necessary, because the volume of water flowing through Nakhon Sawan is forecast to increase to 2,000-2,100m3/s, plus another 100m3/s from the Sakae Krung River.
The draining of excess water downstream through the dam will, however, be done step-by-step.
As well as Bangkok, the other provinces are Uthai Thani, Chainat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.
