107 reservoirs brace for more monsoon rain

107 reservoirs brace for more monsoon rain

As many as 107 reservoirs are approaching maximum holding capacity as technicians race against time to drain them before further monsoons hit the country later this month.

Somkiat Prajamwong, secretary-general of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), said on Friday most of the reservoirs are located in the northeastern part of the country.

Among them are four dams -- Kaeng Krachan in Phetchaburi province, Vajiralongkorn in Kanchanaburi province, Pranburi in Prachaup Khirikhan and Nam Un in Sakhon Nakhon -- that the ONWR has put on a "special monitoring" list.

Mr Somkiat said the government has already taken steps to reduce the impact of any overflow into downstream areas.

"Affected villages will be taken care of. We have sent warnings and deployed assistance in advance," he said.

The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) also expressed confidence that the situation was under control.

"We have survived the first crisis. The impact on low-lying land downstream has been contained and cushioned. The new challenge is to drain part of Kaeng Krachan dam to make space for more water from the upcoming rain," said RID chief Tongplew Kongchan.

The monsoon trough will arrive sometime between Aug 20 and early September, according to official forecasts from the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD).

The areas that will be affected are the upper North and upper Northeast, while a strong southwest monsoon will cover the Gulf of Thailand and the West, causing heavy rain.

At least one storm will hit the country in September and is likely to affect Mukdahan, Nakhon Panom or Ubon Ratchathani first, said TMD chief, Wanchai Sakudomchai.

Despite the seemingly ominous weather forecast, Mr Wanchai urged the public not to panic as the intensity of the weather system is likely to weaken as it passes over the Philippines and China.

In the meantime, the country will experience thunderstorms and heavy rain until Tuesday before clear skies return for 10 days ahead of the expected monsoon, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM).

Heavy rain this weekend could result in flash floods, forest runoff and mudslides, and the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand could see waves reaching up two or three metres, said DDPM director-general Chayapol Thitisak.

He said people in 57 provinces should be vigilant, noting that 17 of them are in the North, 16 in the Northeast, 15 in the Central Plains and nine in the South.

Another nine coastal provinces were also warned about rough seas.

Bad weather has been felt all across the country this month.

In Sakon Nakhon, a couple of days of heavy rain caused 4 million cubic metres of water to flow into the already brimming Nam Un dam in Phang Khon district.

As of yesterday, the dam remained at 2% above its storage capacity.

Officials at the dam are expediting efforts to release water and said the facility's structure remains strong.

In the southern district of Surat Thani's Phanom district, Moo 1 and 3 in tambon Klong Sok were flooded from canal overflow while strong currents in Klong Bang Man damaged a bridge leading to Moo 2, making it impassable.

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