78-year-old Nittorn Intarachuen, a resident of Village 6 in Tha Thong sub-district in Sukhothai province, is suffering a deep sense of loss after watching her houses being washed away by strong currents in the recent flooding, leaving her just the three sets of clothes that she managed to grab.
She told Thai PBS that she has nothing left, as all her belongings and the two houses were washed away by the swollen Yom River.
Stressed and suffering high blood pressure, Nittorn refused to eat yesterday and it took her neighbours some time and patience to convince her to eat something.
Nittorn’s property loss and desperation is just one of many similar stories from people in Sawankhalok, which was hit by devastating flooding last week when the swollen Yom River overflowed.
About 70 people living in Ban Tha Kasem, Tha Thong sub-district, have been stranded in their village and are waiting for food and drinking water to be delivered from the outside.
The latest report today indicates that floodwater in the district is steadily receding and officials have been conducting a survey to assess the damage from flooding. Those whose houses have been seriously damaged will be entitled to 49,500 baht in compensation and more to cover damage to their clothing and kitchenware.
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, who was in Si Samrong district of Sukhothai yesterday, offered an apology to residents for not being able to implement the Kaeng Sua Ten Dam project in Phrae province which, he said, would solve the problem of repeated flooding from the Yom River in Sukhothai.
In the northern province of Phayao, the in-bound lane of Phahonyothin Road was closed after a 50-metre section at the KM815 marker subsided. Motorists using the other lane have been advised to exercise extra caution.
In Chiang Mai province, irrigation officials adjusted the outflow of water through Mae Ngat Somboon Chon Dam to an average of 110m3/s for 34 hours at 7am this morning.
They said that the adjusted release rate will not affect downstream areas, but is intended to increase space in the reservoir to accommodate an anticipated influx of water.
