PHICHIT: The provincial irrigation office is keeping a close watch on heavy rain brought by storm "Doksuri" for fear that run-off from the North could worsen the flooding situation in the province.
Tinnakorn Ratanapuapan, director of the Phichit Irrigation Office, said the rain dumped by Doksuri could send a large amount of water from the Wang Thong and Khlong Chomphu mountains to Noen Maprang district in Phitsanulok. Runoff could then flow through Tambon Hua Dong to the Nan river in Sak Lek and Muang districts.
The irrigation chief said overflows from the Nan River could worsen the flooding situation in Phichit, where many housing estates and residential areas have already been inundated.
Hardest hit is the non-formal education centre in Muang district, where large water pumps have been used to drain water into the Nan River.
Mr Tinnakorn said that to reduce the threat, Naresuan Dam in Phitsanulok has reduced the volume of water discharged into the Nan River, enabling the river to absorb runoff from the Wang Thong mountain range.
