HEAVY downpour that lasted all night triggered forest runoffs that badly flooded a part of Nakhon Phanom province while cutting off a section of the key Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai road for the large part of today, Naewna reported late afternoon (August 2).
Around a hundred houses and hundreds of rai of farmland in Nakhon Phanom’s Phon Thong sub-district, Ban Phaeng district, got quickly flooded when the forest runoff gushed in.
Residents rushed to collect their belonging but some of the essential household stuff just floated away.
This sub-district is particularly at risk of flooding because it is adjacent to Phu Lanka mountains and Yang creek.
Ban Phaeng district chief Mr. Worawit Pimpanit, who together with a team of officials went to inspected the flooded area and help the victims, warned the people to be on 24-hour alert as continuous rainfall would lead to a repeat of severe flooding.
Meanwhile forest runoffs led to the section of Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai road, also known as route 118, where the construction of a new road is underway being washed out a several hours today.
This section is just before Mae Tho Toll Plaza at Wiang Pa Pao district, Chiang Rai province, and not a single vehicle could pass at the height of the flooding. Police channeled the traffic to the detour Wiang Pa Pao-Phrao route, or Route number 1150.
Meanwhile the Thai Meteorological Department issued a warning that tropical storm Sinlaku has reached Vietnam and is moving slowing westwards and is expected to downgrade to a tropical depression tonight and then further downgrade to a low cell.
The impact of the strong monsoon hanging across the North together with Sinlaku moving in as well as strong southwesterly monsoon in the Adamana sea and the Gulf of Thailand will lead to very heavy rain in many areas of practically the whole country.
People in the risky areas should beware of severe conditions and stay tuned for weather updates.
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Heavy flooding in the two provinces today. Photos: Naew Na
