Many households and low-lying areas located along the Tha Chin River, in Thailand’s central province of Suphan Buri, are submerged after excess water overflowed the spillways of the Krasiao Dam into the already swollen waterway.

Described as the worst in the province in a decade, provincial officials attributed the current flooding to water discharges from the Chao Phraya Dam in Chainat province, continuing heavy rain in the province and runoffs from the swollen Krasiao reservoir.

The provincial administration has warned riverside residents in Nong Ya Sai, Derm Bang Nang Buat, Sam Chook, Sriprachan, Muang, Bang Pla Ma, U Thong and Song Phi Nong districts to brace for further flooding from the overflowing Tha Chin River.

In Song Phi Nong district, a section of sandbag and earthen embankments along the Song Phi Nong Canal has collapsed following heavy rains yesterday, measured at 196mm, causing water to inundate many areas, including Dong Tan Temple in Bang Plub sub-district.

The flooding was so rapid that several residents were caught off guard, rendering it impossible to move all their valuables to higher ground in time.

According to the provincial administration, almost 70,000 people in ten districts have been affected by the current flooding.

Today (Monday), the Meteorological Department forecast less rain over the next seven days in the northern, lower central, upper southern, eastern and upper north-eastern regions due to the arrival of cold front from China.

The lower Northeast, eastern, lower southern and lower central regions will, however, still face heavy rain in some areas.