ONWR warns that the water level in the Mekong River may rise again during 7-12 Sept due to heavy rain in the North, Upper Northeast and Lao PDR. Please be prepared to cope with overflowing riverbanks and flooding in low-lying areas.
This afternoon, the water level in the Mekong River has been continuously decreasing. This morning (7 September), at the water level measurement point in Ban Phan Lam, Tambon Wisit, Amphoe Mueang Bueng Kan, the reading was 10.40 meters, 3.30 meters below the bank. This week, the water level has dropped by almost 2 meters and is likely to continue to drop.
While the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR) announced to monitor the impact from the rising water level of the Mekong River during 7-12 September 2024 due to heavy rain in the northern region, upper northeastern region and Lao PDR, causing the water level of the Mekong River to rise by approximately 0.5-1.5 meters, it is requested to monitor the rising water level and prepare for the situation of overflowing the banks
and flooding in low-lying areas along the Mekong River and some tributaries in Loei, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani provinces.
Mr. Apichai Champa-nil, Chief of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office of Bueng Kan Province, revealed that the water situation in the Mekong River has begun to improve. The water flowing through Bueng Kan Province has continuously decreased until it has passed the surveillance point. After this, action will be taken in areas damaged by floods. According to the latest information on September 3, 2024, Bueng Kan Province has been affected by floods in all 8 districts, especially rice fields, with an area of ??30,457 rai affected, with an estimated damage of 27,762 rai. There are no field crops and vegetables, rubber plantations, and oil palm plantations, with an area of ??2,306 rai affected, with an estimated damage of 2,235 rai. The total agricultural area estimated to be damaged is approximately 29,997 rai.
In Udon Thani, M
r. Worawit Supha-uan, Director of the Huai Luang Water Supply and Maintenance Project, Udon Thani Province, found that there was still a large amount of water flowing into the reservoir very quickly and it was expected that there would be continuous rain. Currently, the reservoir has a water volume of 125.20 million cubic meters, which is 92.35% of its maximum capacity of 135.5 million cubic meters. Therefore, it is necessary to release more water to bring the reservoir into control as soon as possible. The volume will be increased to 30 cubic meters per second or 3 million cubic meters per day.
The 5th Regional Irrigation Office has installed 8 water pumps to push water into the Mekong River as quickly as possible before the rain from Typhoon Yangi comes to join in.
Source: Thai News Agency