Rush to protect Khon Kaen’s economic zone from floods
FLOOD is spreading in northeastern Khon Kaen province with 700 villages inundated and the Royal Irrigation Department is rushing to build a levee to protect its economic zone, Thai News Agency said today (Oct. 19).
Aside from building the levee officials are reinforcing Huay Yai floodgate at Mueang Khon Kaen’s Samran subdistrict. Water from Yai creek here usually flows into Phong River but as the latter’s water level is higher it has led to a reverse flow back to the city.
Regarding Ubol Ratana Dam, which lies across Phong River and is approximately 50 kilometers north of Mueang Khon Kaen, yesterday 74 million cubic meters of water flowed in it while 50 million cubic meters are flowing out daily. Aside from Khon Kaen, low-lying areas of Mahasarakham province are also getting flooded by this discharge.
Meanwhile Huay Chan village which lies on the bank of Phong River and has altogether 140 houses was flooded yesterday by up to 30 to 60 centimeters after this river overflowed its bank.
This village had previously been heavily flooded in 2001 and 2010 and the villagers had prepared by put up sandbags and installing a pump but the sandbag wall only held up for three days and yesterday the whole village was flooded.
CAPTION:
Top: An aerial view of the floods in Khon Kaen. Photo: Thai News Agency
Inset: Huay Chang village in Khon Kaen is badly flooded today. Photo: Thai News Agency
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