A severe drought has hit villages in several northeastern provinces, prompting local officials to send water trucks and employ long-distance water pumping to alleviate water shortages in stricken communities.
In Nakhon Ratchasima's Sikhiu district, about 500 people in Ban Don Nok Khao in tambon Don Noi have been without tap water for almost a week after the village lake dried up.
A disaster mitigation centre run by Nakhon Ratchasima-based Wing 1 has dispatched a drought relief team to pump water from natural sources and deliver it to villagers via water trucks. The team comprises of 11 men, two 6,000-litre water trucks, and three pumps.
About 138,000 litres of water has been delivered to the villagers who are concerned the water shortage will get worse due to the absence of rainfall and hot weather conditions.
In Buri Ram's Muang district, local officials plan to draw 40,000 cubic metres of water over a period of 10 days to fill a local lake in Ban Krok Khinoo in tambon Chum Hed where 250 households have been left without tap water for weeks.
According to officials, they plan to draw water from a lake in Ban Nong Phai Yai, about 3km away from Ban Krok Khinoo, using equipment designed for long-distance water pumping.
The amount of water drawn is expected to alleviate the water shortage until the rainy season comes.
The disaster prevention and mitigation centre for Zone 5 has also received a request to send equipment for long-distance water pumping from seven communities in five districts of Muang, Nang Rong, Nong Ki, Pa Kham and Khu Muang.
Somsak Maensaithong, mayor of Chum Hed municipality, said four villages, out of 22, have seen their stored water dry up and officials have sent water trucks and asked the disaster prevention and mitigation office to send equipment for long-distance water pumping.
The central province of Nakhon Sawan has seen the onset of drought in two districts -- Lat Yao and Banphot Phisai.
The water level in the Wang Sawasdee reservoir in tambon Nong Nom Wua of Lat Yao district, which supplies water to farmers in four tambons, is receding fast as farmers are rushing to install water pumps to draw water from canals into their farms.