Easy English news
Maybe, maybe not
- Published: 22 Oct 2010 at 11.54
- Online news: Easier Stuff
It is still too early to say if parts of Bangkok will experience heavy flooding next week when high tides arrive. (Channel 11 TV report presented by Bangkok Post team now included)
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Maybe, maybe not
Monks from Wat Pailom wade through floodwaters at Ko Kret in Pak Kret district in Nonthaburi to gather alms from residents yesterday morning. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH
Parts of Bangkok may experience heavy flooding next week and they may not.
‘‘It is hard to say how high the water level will be,” Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Drainage and Sewerage Department head, Sanya Cheenimit, said yesterday. “They continue to release water from the North.’’
That run off and the high tides expected next week have put the city on flood alert.
The water level in the Chao Phraya River is being closely monitored. The river peaked at 1.71 metres above mean sea level last night. It was flowing at a rate of 3,835 cubic metres a second, almost 200 cubic metres faster than on Wednesday.
The BMA has 2.5-metre-high flood walls along the river to hold back the water. They may be insufficient if the river flow reaches 4,500 cubic metres a second.
Mr Sanya said officials were being deployed around the clock to high-risk areas with water pumps to drain water as quickly as possible.
Boonchong Charasdamrongnit, director of the Water Crisis Prevention Centre, yesterday sounded optimistic that Bangkok would escape relatively unscathed.
He said the city would be spared from flooding if water drainage in the North went as planned and there were no heavy downpours.
The drainage plan calls for the run off from the North to be diverted to open fields on the two sides of the Chao Phraya River.
Flooding in the Central region in 2006 was twice as bad as the present situation, he said.
‘‘If we can drain water as planned and there is no heavy rainfall in the region, we should be OK,’’ Mr Boonchong said.
One area of immediate concern is the low-lying Lat Krabang district. Water levels in the Prawat and Chaiyanuchit canals were rising steadily.
Deputy district chief Chaowarit Songnaowarat said residents would not be forced to absorb water diverted from Suvarnabhumi airport in the event of flooding. He said a canal around the airport had been dredged to retain water.
Adapted from a story by Supoj Wancharoen in today’s Bangkok Post.
wade – to walk with an effort through something, especially water or mud ลุย เดินท่องน้ำ หรือ โคลน
alms – offerings given to monks ทาน
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
level – the amount of liquid that there is in a container, which can be seen by how high the liquid is ระดับ
drainage – the system of water or waste liquids flowing away from somewhere into the ground or down pipes การระบายน้ำ
sewage – liquid waste ท่อน้ำเสีย, ท่อระบายน้ำ (sewerage is the system of dealing with wastes)
release – to allow a substance to flow out from somewhere ปล่อย
run off – water flowing away from a flooded area
high tide – the period of the day where the natural rise of the seawater near the shore is the highest น้ำขึ้น
monitor – to regularly check something or watch someone in order to find out what is happening เฝ้าดู จับตาดู
peak – to reach the highest amount or level, before becoming lower ขึ้นจนถึงจุดสุดยอด
mean – an amount that is calculated by adding several numbers together and dividing the total by the original number of things that you added together ค่าเฉลี่ย, ตัวกลาง, มัชฌิม
rate – the level or speed at which something happens or changes, or the amount or number of times it happens or changes in a particular period อัตรา
insufficient – not enough ไม่เพียงพอ
deploy – (of police or soldiers) to put in place ready for action ส่ง (ทหารตำรวจ) ประจำการ
around the clock – at all times; twenty-four hours a day
risk – the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen ความเสี่ยง
drain – to get rid of the water in an area of land ระบายออก
crisis - a situation that has reached and extremely difficult or dangerous point ช่วงวิกฤต
prevention – preventing something bad from happening การป้องกันภ้ย
optimistic – expecting good things to happen or to be successful โดยคาดหวังสิ่งที่ดี, มองโลกในแง่ดี
relatively – somewhat; in comparison with someone or something similar ค่อนข้าง
unscathed – not harmed or damaged by something bad that has happened ไม่ได้เสียหาย, ไม่ได้รับบาดเจ็บ
spare – to prevent someone from having to experience something unpleasant
downpour –a lot of rain in a short time ฝนตกหนักมาก, พายุฝน
divert – to cause something to change direction เบนเส้นทางเดินน้ำ, เปลี่ยนเส้นทางเดินน้ำ
immediate – happening or done now, without any delay ทันทีทันใด
concern – a worry ความกังวล
absorb – to take in a liquid, gas or other substance form the surface or space around ซึมซับ ดูดกลืน
dredge – to remove unwanted things from the bottom of a river, lake, etc. using a sucking or other device ขุดลอก
retain – to keep, continue to have, or to store something เก็บไว้, สงวนไว้
Television report
The first few minutes of this Channel 11 news report presented by the Bangkok Post team reports on the Bangkok situation. See how much of it you can understand.
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