The Ping River has returned to normal levels, but many communities are still facing high flooding. They are appealing to government agencies to provide assistance. Ban Nong Phueng, Saraphi District, Chiang Mai Province is a downstream area where flooding is still more than 1 meter high. Villagers said that the flooding has been stagnant for more than 4 days, which is now starting to give off a foul smell.
People in the community helped each other by bringing water pumps to pump out as much water as they could and asked government agencies to come and help take care of the villagers here. As for the village in Tambon Ton Pao, Amphoe San Kamphaeng, there is still flooding about 40 centimeters deep for more than 5 days. Some of the water comes from the Ping River, while some comes from the south down to the lowlands, leaving the water with nowhere to go and therefore draining very slowly.
While the Office of Water Resources Region 1 has mobilized to install flood pumps waiting to be drained in Tambon Tha Sala
and Tambon Nong Hoi, Mueang District, to provide full assistance to those affected, at the Mae Ngad Somboon Chon Dam in Mae Taeng District, north of Chiang Mai, where water has exceeded its capacity and overflowed the spillway for several days, water has begun to be drained from the dam since this morning until tomorrow night at a rate of 110 cubic meters per second to drain water and prepare for thunderstorms from September 30 to October 3, as predicted by the Meteorological Department. It has been confirmed that the water in the Ping River flowing through Chiang Mai will not rise much because the Tha Wang Tan water gate downstream is still draining water well.
The Ping River’s water level is currently at 3 meters 5 centimeters, which is considered normal. Locals here said they want a water pump to alleviate the suffering and asked drivers traveling this way to be careful and drive slowly so as not to make things worse for those affected.
Source: Thai News Agency