The lower northeastern provinces are on red alert for flash floods as the downgraded Typhoon Molave lashes the region today and tomorrow, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) says.
Emergency response teams in nine provinces -- Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Surin, Si Sa Ket, Roi Et, Yasothon, Mukdahan, Amnat Charoen and Ubon Ratchathani -- were on standby.
An urgent high-level meeting was under way yesterday to keep watch of the water situation in the provinces in the storm's path, agriculture permanent secretary Thongplew Kongchan said.
Typhoon Molave has left a trail of destruction in central Vietnam. It has been downgraded to a tropical storm and is tracking over Thailand today, unleashing heavy downpours over areas already drenched by previous storms, according to the TMD's weather update yesterday.
According to Mr Kongplew, less intense wet weather will be experienced beyond the nine provinces. The impact will spread over 21 other provinces in the Northeast, East and the South.
Warnings of flash floods and water runoffs in low-lying areas were issued yesterday by the authorities.
The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has also distributed 138 water pumps to flood-prone locations with 96 "water pusher" boats dispatched to help speed the drainage of excess water.
At the same time, boats were also ready to be deployed to help to evacuate people and livestock.
Samphan Duensirirat, director of the RID Project in Ubon Ratchathani, said 50 water pusher boats were working yesterday to divert as much water as possible from the Moon River.
The Moon River flows into the Mekong River.
In Nakhon Ratchasima, water was also being channelled out of the Lam Phra Ploeng dam, which will help increase its capacity to take in floodwater expected from the storm, Wichian Chantharanothai, Nakhon Ratchasima governor, said.
Residents living near the dam in Pak Thong Chai and Chok Chai districts have been warned to brace for floods. High water volume is likely to be discharged from the dam through a network of canals and waterways which are overflowing, causing floods in downstream communities.