Five people have been killed following the runoff and river overflows in nine Central provinces that affected 140,000 people over the past three days, authorities said yesterday.
Heavy rain from Oct 10-13, a result of a depression and discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam, triggered runoff and overflows in Lop Buri, Kamphaeng Phet, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Tak and Phichit.
Chayaphol Thitisak, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation (DDPM), said 51,669 households in 32 districts were affected.
Five people were killed -- two in Phichit, two in Ayutthaya and one in Tak -- according to the authorities.
The department, a unit under the Interior Ministry, coordinated with military units and local organisations to help those affected, he said.
"Survival kits and relief items have been distributed to ease the trouble. Machinery, pumps and pushers have been deployed to drain the water into main waterways," Mr Chayaphol said.
He said flood-affected people can call the 1784 hotline around the clock to seek help from relevant authorities so that assistance will be dispatched to them.
Of the nine Central provinces, six districts in Ayutthaya were yesterday declared disaster areas.
They were Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Bang Pa-in, Bang Ban, Phak Hai, Bang Sai and Sena. A total of 67 tambons and 409 villages were inundated, said Raewat Prasong, Ayutthaya's deputy governor.
Mr Raewat said Bang Pahan district, which was partly inundated, has yet to be declared a flood disaster area.
He said most flooded areas were located along the Chao Phraya and Noi rivers and other mainstream canals of the provinces. The floods in the seven districts affected 25,454 households, 10 temples, 10 schools and one mosque in 491 villages of 84 tambons.
Due to the high level of water in Ayutthaya's rivers, authorities yesterday warned anyone who drives their boats at high speed will be fined.
In tambon Phong Phang of Pa Mok district in nearby Ang Thong province, many people have been evacuated to higher ground after the Chao Phraya overflowed in some areas leading to floods.
"My house is completely flooded so I am in trouble now," said Lek Chomyong, 88.
In Sapphaya district of nearby Chai Nat province, about 500 families have moved out of their flooded houses and been relocated to higher ground.
Local authorities said yesterday that more than 5,100 people in 42 villages of seven tambons of the district have been affected by the flooding.
Theerasak Sapsiri, chief of the DDPM in Nakhon Sawan, said about 1,500 people from about 500 households in Bang Prong community in Nakhon Sawan municipal area have been affected by the flooding.
He said the community was located along the Chao Phraya River and affected people by the rising water now live in makeshift tents.
Mr Theerasak said the flood level in the community is about 40cm and it is believed the flood situation would likely improve by next week.
He said the flow of the Chao Phraya in Nakhon Sawan is currently around 2,760 cubic metres per second.
He said the maximum level of the water flow will not exceed 2,800 cu m per second, compared with the highest level of 4,650 cu m per second in 2011 when the major floods occurred.
Somsak Jantrakul, governor of Khon Kaen, yesterday called an urgent meeting for a proper management plan to deal with a report of 54 million cu m of water per day discharged by Ubolratana Dam in the province.
Mr Somsak said that the dam is going to discharge 54 million cu m on Tuesday to reduce the volume of water in the dam as more than 100 million cu m goes to the dam each day, leading to its storage hitting up to 115% of full capacity.
The governor also ordered staff in 26 districts to be prepared for evacuation plan if floods happen.
