Bebinca causes heavy flooding in the North
TROPICAL storm Bebinca moved into northern Thailand yesterday dumping heavy rain and triggering large-scale flooding in Nan, Phayao and Chiang Mai provinces, INN News and today (August 18. 2018).
NASA’s Aqua satellite found strong storms circling the center of Bebinca as it moved over northern Laos and into Thailand yesterday August 17, Phys.org said
On August 17 at 2:00 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. in Thailand) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS, instrument aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite analyzed tropical storm Bebinca’s cloud top temperatures in infrared light and this showed strong storms still lingered within the weakening tropical cyclone.
MODIS found cloud top temperatures of strongest thunderstorms around Bebinca’s low-level center were as cold as or colder than minus 56.6 degrees Celsius (minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Cloud top temperatures that cold indicate strong storms that have the capability to create heavy rain.
Bebinca is forecast to track further inland across Laos and northern Thailand, before finally dissipating.
Strong and swift floodwaters gushed into Nan city with this measuring 1.5 to 2 meters high at Tha Lor community in Phu Phiang district, which is just opposite Nan municipality but does not have flood walls.
However as Nan is located on a high ground, floodwaters usually drain out quickly.
Meanwhile continuous heavy rain which triggered forest runoffs damaged 5 bridges in Phayao and flooded farmland in 4 districts, with these being Pong, Chiang Muan, Chiang Kham and Mueang.
Mr Kamol Hawongnan, head of the office of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Phayao, said the forest runoff gushed into Mae Tam community in Mueang district and then flowed into Mae Tam stream and further flooded houses and roads in this district.
Officials had distributed sandbags to residents to put in front of their homes.
At the same time a key route from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai passing through Doi Saket district is inundated with forest runoff and cannot be used with police channeling the traffic to a detour.
Chiang Mai Governor Mr Supachia Iamsuwan and Chief of the 33rd Army Military Circle Maj-General Sathit Srisuwan went to inspect and quickly resolve the flooding and help the victims.
Mr Rangsak Suchairangsak, director of Chiang Mai Highway No. 2, said if floodwaters could be drained and reduced and it does not rain anymore then another detour could be repaired overnight.
However 3 Chiang Mai districts, Mae On, San Sai and San Kamphaeng, have been placed to flood alert because streams have swollen up.
CAPTION:
Top: The key Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai route badly flooded. Photo: INN News
First in-text: Floodwaters flowing swiftly through Nan city. Photo: INN News
Second in-text: Heavy flooding in Phayao. Photo: INN News
Below: At 11 p.m. EDT on August 16 (10 a.m. August 17 in Thailand) , NASA’s Aqua satellite found coldest temperatures of strongest thunderstorms (red) in tropical storm Bebinca were as cold as or colder than minus 56.6 degrees Celsius (minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit) over northern Laos. Image: NRL/NASA
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