Four people have died, two injured and more than 72,000 households affected by flooding in 30 provinces of Thailand since September 28th, according to the Department of Public Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
No details are available on how the four people died, but the department said that 13 provinces are still flooded. They are Phetchabun, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Khon Kaen, Loei, Chaiyaphum, Maha Sarakham, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Lop Buri, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan and Prachin Buri.
Altogether 2,557 villages in 85 districts are affected.
Tak, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Pathum Thani, Sing Buri and Chai Nat are suffering from waterway overflows.
In Ayutthaya province, three industrial estates have been placed under a Level 3, alert in anticipation of a one metre rise in the water level of the Chao Phraya River, after the Royal Irrigation Department increased the discharge rate of water through the Chao Phraya Dam in Chat Nat province, from 600 to 800m3/sec.
The Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand said today (Thursday) that it has set up an emergency centre and has ordered a 75cm increase in height of flood walls surrounding three industrial estates, making them 4 metres.
Seven additional large water pumps, with a combined pumping capacity of 29,300m3/hr, have been installed to protect the three industrial estates, namely Nakhon Luang, Ban Wa and Bang Pa-in.
Nakhon Luang industrial estate is considered to be the most vulnerable of the three because it is located in a low-lying area, but the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand is confident that its precautionary measures will hold back the river overflows.
