The government has apologised to people affected by its slow response to the flooding crisis as water levels began to recede in some affected areas.
 |
| Highway bail-out begins: Highways Department workers begin salvaging Bangkok-Suphan Buri Highway 340 in Pathum Thani yesterday. The road will be used as a detour to the South in case the Rama II Road, which is the main route to the South from Bangkok, is made impassable by floods. |
Justice Minister Pracha Promnok, director of the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc), yesterday issued the apology in parliament.
He also pledged to drain floodwaters as soon as possible.
The Froc director attributed the flooding to three major storms that directly hit Thailand and brought with them large amounts of rainwater.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also thanked opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva in parliament for his show of moral support in saying it was not necessary for her to step down in the wake of the disaster, as is being demanded by some.
While efforts to keep central Bangkok dry seemed to have been successful, with a decline of flood water on major roads, the situation elsewhere remains dire, particularly in Thon Buri, where hundreds of residents blocked Rama II road last night in a demand to remove a sandbag dyke responsible for the protracted inundation in their community.
Around 8pm yesterday, about 1,000 residents from Keha Chumchon Thon Buri 2 housing estate and nearby areas blocked inbound Rama II road in front of Bang Khunthian electricity office, demanding the dismantling of a sandbag dyke built by Keha Chumchon Thon Buri 1 housing estate.
The crowd agreed to disperse after police dismantled the dyke, but the two community groups plan to continue negotiations today.
Receding water levels were observed yesterday on Vibhavadi Rangsit, Phahon Yothin and Ratchadapisek roads, which are linked with inner Bangkok.
The flood water dropped by tens of centimetres in some areas, but just 1-2cm in others.
The water level in Khlong Bang Sue, into which the floods on these three main roads is being drained, also decreased by 10cm yesterday.
About 4 million cubic metres of water are being drained into the Chao Phraya River via the canal per day.
Chamnan Kwannate, of the Bang Sue drainage station, said authorities plan to decrease water in Khlong Bang Sue by 10cm a day.
Deputy Bangkok governor Thirachon Manomaipibul attributed the decline to the flood barrier which slowed down the run-off and allowed City Hall to divert water into Khlong Bang Sue and then to the Chao Phraya River.
The water on Vibhavadi Road in Don Muang dropped by 25cm yesterday.
If there is no more run-off, the amount of water on the flooded streets would gradually decline over the next two weeks, said Mr Thirachon.
However, floods levels continued to rise or to affect new areas in the eastern and western parts of Bangkok.
Anond Snidvongs, an academic on the Flood Relief Operation Command's water draining committee, yesterday urged the city not to panic even though about 3-4 billion cu/m of water would flow into the sea through Bangkok.
He said the amount would not make existing water levels much higher and most of the affected areas should return to normal within two weeks.
However, he said the situation on the eastern side, especially Nong Chok and Min Buri, might take four to six weeks to return to normal.
In the east, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) put on high alert 22 communities in Saphan Sung sub-district of Saphan Sung district and more areas in Khlong Kum and Nuan Chan sub-districts of Bung Kum district.
The BMA said it might add Bang Bon and Bung Kum districts to the disaster-hit list which so far covers 32 of Bangkok's 50 districts.
The water in Khlong Saen Saep rose and inundated low-lying canalside areas in Bung Kum and Bang Kapi districts.
Rising floodwaters on Seri Thai Road at Bang Chan intersection continued to threaten Bangchan Industrial estate.
On the western side, Khlong Maha Sawat in Nakhon Pathom overflowed into Khlong Thawi Wattana, further submerging Thon Buri side of Bangkok.
BMA staff were increasing the height of the sandbags along a 7km section of Khlong Maha Sawat.
The run-off yesterday spread in Bang Bon and Bang Khunthian districts and crept towards Rama II Road.
The Highways Department had yet to salvage the inundated Highway 340 and a section of Kanchanaphisek Road.
The operation was set for completion yesterday to provide a detour to the South if Rama II becomes impassable.
Transport Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat said the operation to drain the flood in front of Sombat Buri on Kanchanaphisek Road should be finished by today.
The high tide starting today may hinder water drainage into the sea but should not worsen the situation, the Royal Irrigation Department said. The flood has killed 533 people and affected 1.31 million nationwide.
No comments:
Post a Comment