With angry residents threatening violence or vandalism, City Hall has urged the the Flood Relief Operations Command to provide protection for authorities trying to build flood barriers.
Desperate for aid
Officials try to keep order among residents of Saphan Mai, Bang Khen district, as they emerge from flooded side sois after hearing relief trucks were arriving with supplies of food and water. The residents have been stranded in their homes for more than a week. PHOTOS BY RATTASEEMA PONGSAN
The barriers are aimed at sparing central Bangkok from the deluge, but communities affected by the build-up of floodwater are pulling them down or threatening workers in some areas.
Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday stressed the importance of building and strengthening a flood prevention line where Phahon Yothin Road meets Khong Rangsit.
He said the flood defence there is strategically important as it helps to prevent overflow from Khlong Rangsit from entering Bangkok's inner areas via Don Muang district and Phahon Yothin Road.
MR Sukhumbhand said Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) authorities had failed to build the flood lines there because of heated resistance from residents putting authorities at risk
.He said if the Froc does not have enough personnel for the task, the BMA will send its own workers to help if the Froc can guarantee their safety.
 |
| Flood victims reach out for relief supplies handed out by authorities in Saphan Mai market, Bang Khen district. |
Angry residents in the area previously fired guns into the air to drive away BMA staff who were building flood barriers there.
The latest incident came yesterday as 1,000 residents living along Khlong 3 and Khlong 4 in Khlong Sam Wa district blockaded a road near the Hathaimit-Wat Sukjai intersection to demand City Hall open Khlong Sam Wa sluice gate wider. They claimed the narrow opening of the gate was why their community had been so badly flooded.
City Hall's call for protection for its officials came as floodwater from the northern perimeter pushed deeper into the capital yesterday.
Residents in Lak Si district, particularly on the banks of Khlong Prem Prachakorn, Khlong Thanon, Khlong 2 and Khlong Bang Bua have been told to be on full alert, MR Sukhumbhand said.
The run-off yesterday surged into Kasetsart University in Bang Khen district, which provides shelter for flood evacuees, putting it under 30cm of water.
With flood levels expected to increase, Seree Kunchaenak, a member of a committee supervising the shelter centre at the university, said the campus is preparing to relocate about 650 evacuees to Rajabhat Phetchaburi University.
Overflow from Khlong 2 in Rangsit and run-off from Sai Mai district have swamped Rarm Intra Road Km 8, and floodwater surged through manholes and inundated several alleys on the outbound lane of the road from Km1 onwards.
On Phahon Yothin Road, northern run-off spread to the Bang Khen circle, where the Lak Si monument is located.
The BMA yesterday decided to close 10 evacuation shelters in heavily flooded areas in four districts _ five in Don Muang, two each in Sai Mai and Thawi Watthana, and one in Khlong Sam Wa.
 |
| The ground floor of Don Mueang Airport is flooded. PATIPATJANTHONG |
MR Sukhumbhand also warned residents in Khwaeng Chim Phli, Khwaeng Taling Chan and Khwaeng Bang Ramad in Taling Chan district to prepare to evacuate as the water level in Khlong Maha Sawat continued to rise.
High sea tides caused the Chao Phraya to surge to 2.53m yesterday, inundating communities on both sides of the river .
 |
| Debrisandrubbish float in putrid floodwater at Wat Noy Nang Hong in Bangkok Noi district. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH |
In western Bangkok, soldiers were racing to repair two dykes at Khlong Maha Sawat in Thawi Watthana district.
Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa, who inspected the area, said repairs to the broken dykes are expected to be finished soon, which will help reduce the water level in the canal.
Floodwater swept into Utthayan Road, which connects Phutthamonthon Sai 3 Road and Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road in Nakhon Pathom, yesterday .
Deputy Bangkok governor Thirachon Manomaipibul said the BMA has dismantled the Khlong 10, 11, and 12 sluice gates in Nong Chok district to accelerate overflow from Khlong Rangsit to the sea and plans to dismantled the Khlong 9, 13 and 14 sluice gates as well.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday reiterated that the flood situation in Bangkok should start to improve from tomorrow _ so long as no more flood barriers are broken.
Once the sea tides have ebbed, floodwater can be drained out to sea at the fullest capacity, she said.
 |
| Suthikiati Chirathivat, Director& Chairman of Executive Committee of the Post Publishing Plc, right, cook food to be distributed to flood victims at the Central World shopping mall. Giving him a hand is Thailand’s first Miss Universe, Apasara Hongsakul. WISIT THAMNGERN |
 |
| A monk feeds dogs and pigeons at Wat Salawan near Khlong Maha Sawat which was bursting its banks in Thawi Watthana district. PATIPAT JANTHON |
 |
A couple teases each other as they swimming floodwater around the Taksin skytrain station. PHONGTHAIWATTANAVANITVUT |
 |
| Ornate lamp posts light up flooded Aksaroad in Thawi Watthana district. PATIPAT JANTHONG |
No comments:
Post a Comment