Nakhon Ratchasima: Residents living in districts downstream of Lam Takhong Dam in Si Khiu district have been told to prepare to evacuate as water levels at the dam exceeded its maximum capacity yesterday.
As of yesterday morning, Lam Takhong Dam held 319.3 million cubic metres (m³) of water -- or 101.5% of its design capacity of 314 million m³.
Governor Wichian Chantharanothai has asked officials in 11 districts, including Si Khiu, Sung Noen and Kam Thale So, Muang and Chalerm Phra Kiat, to warn residents living along the Lam Takhong, Lam Boribun, Lam Choeng Krai and Nam Mun rivers to evacuate the homes if floods are reported.
Chayutpong Amrungsuk, director of Lam Takhong Water Operations and Maintenance Project, said while the dam can still hold an additional 50 million m³ of water, residents of riverside communities are advised to keep an eye out for rising water levels.
Similar warnings were issued around Lam Phra Pholeng Dam in Pak Chong Thai district, which holds 169.13 million m³ of water -- or 109% of its design capacity of 155 million m³.
The dam's sluices have been closed to minimise the risk of flooding in downstream areas, but about an average of 6.6 million m³ of water is still flowing down its spillway each day, officials said.
Yesterday, the high volume of water discharged from the dam caused creeks and rivers downstream of the dam to overflow, inundating a section of Highway 304 in front of Ban Muangpak Samakkhi School under 50 centimetres of water and causing traffic disruptions.
Meanwhile, floods of about 80cm deep were reported in Rong Kluea market and Aranyaprathet municipality in Sa Kaeo, after run-off from Watthana Nakhon district caused the Prom Hod canal which runs through Aranyaprathet district to overflow.
A local source said over 10,000 villagers around the market have been affected.
Floods of about 50cm were also reported in 12 villages along the Thai-Cambodian border, prompting the evacuation of households and livestock. In several areas, villagers were forced to resort to using handmade rafts to reach higher grounds, as the floods had rendered some roads impassable.
In Prachin Buri, water in Pra Prong, Hanuma and Prachin Buri rivers have risen by 20cm, causing floods which disrupted vehicle access.