Thailand's disaster response agency has warned people in Bangkok and 65 other provinces nationwide of the risk of flooding from November 7 to 9 due to the impact of Typhoon No. 13 Kalmaegi.
The storm brought heavy rain, high water and strong waves, especially in the central plains and northeast.
The Department of Natural Disaster Prevention and Control (DDPM) said that among the risk areas, 10 provinces along the Chao Phraya River, including Chai Nat, Sing buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Lop buri, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Suphan buri and Uthai Thani, are assessed as most vulnerable due to low terrain.
The water flow in the upstream section of Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat province is currently 3,050 - 3,250 m3/s, an unusually high level.
To cope, the Royal Irrigation Commission (RID) has increased the water discharge from 2,500 to 2,700 m3/s. According to DDPM, this could cause the water level downstream of the dam to rise by 60-90 cm in low-lying areas without dykes. During the serious flood in 2011, this river flowed through the dam with a record flow of 3,703 m3/s.
Not only in the central plains, the Thai Meteorological Department has also issued an emergency weather warning for the entire northern, northeastern, central, eastern regions and some provinces on the western coast (in the Andaman Sea).
Ms. Sukanyanee Yawincharn - Director General of the Thai Meteorological Administration - said that storm Kalmaegi weakened into a tropical depression when moving through Laos and entering Ubon Ratchathani province (Thailand) on November 7, after passing through Vietnam.
According to her, the provinces at risk of receiving very large rainfall of over 90mm include Ubon Ratchathani, buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Yasothon, Amnat Charoen and Nakhon Ratchasima.
Waves in the Andaman Sea are expected to be 2-3m high, possibly exceeding 3m in thunderstorms. The meteorological agency recommends that small vessels should temporarily stop going to sea for 2 days, November 6-7.
The authorities called on people, especially households living near rivers, low-lying areas and farmers in areas at risk, to closely monitor weather forecasts and prepare response plans for flash floods, mountain water flows and rising river water levels in the coming days.
