Earth moving machinery has been stationed at strategic points along Mitraphap Road in Nakhon Ratchasima to help prevent more flooding of the main highway to the Northeast and a repetition of the traffic horrors of the last two days.

A section of the main highway in Si Khiu district at kilometre marker 94 was again flooded on Thursday morning, making motorists miserable with traffic bumper to bumper for about 10 kilometres on inbound lanes heading to Saraburi from Nakhon Ratchasima.

The water level has since dropped, with small vehicles able to  use the road again but warned to avoid the area if possible.

Workers brought in tracked hydraulic shovels to open channels and drain off the water to nearby canals flowing to Lam Takong reservoir, and pumps were put to work in the worst sections. (continues below)

A hydraulic shovel clears a channel to drain water along the Mitraphap Road on Thursday. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)

Suthep Ruenthawil, director of the disaster prevention and mitigation office in Nakhon Ratchasima, said on Friday the backhoes and pumps  were now on permanent  standby in the area to help prevent or quickly clear any future flooding of the road, which is the main highway to the northeastern region.

Nakhon Ratchasima is among provinces where more rain is forecast.

"People in the lower part of the northern region, lower northeastern region, central region, eastern region and western part of the southern region should be ready for more heavy rain," the weather office warned on Friday.

Rain has raised the level of the Chao Phraya River, with the Chao Phraya Dam in Chai Nat increasing the volume of water being discharged downstream, flooding large areas of Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong and Ayutthaya.

On Friday, the dam was releasing water at 1,988 cubic metres per second, up from 1,974 cmps.

Warnings have been issued to people in the four provinces that the floodwater level could rise  least 10 centimetres over the weekend.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by BANGKOK POST

If you have any stories or news that you would like to share with the global online community, please feel free to share it with us by contacting us directly at [email protected]