The flood situation in the South is manageable even though heavy rains persist, Interior permanent secretary Grisada Boonrach says.

Local authorities in Yala province were working hard to repair sections of roads in tambon Talo-halor in Raman district which had been hit by floods, preventing residents from commuting, he said.

The flood situation in Yala and Narathiwat had not improved yesterday as torrential rains continued, causing more woes for residents.

Yala, Narathiwat and Phatthalung provinces were ravaged by heavy downpours and floods last week, which inundated houses, farmland and roads.

In Yala alone, more than 4,000 people in about 1,000 families in Muang, Raman and Yaha districts were affected.

However, Mr Grisada was confident that shelters for flood victims were not necessary for the time being.

He said he had ordered local authorities to ensure drainage systems are working.

In Phatthalung province, communities around Songkhla Lake have been battered by heavy downpours and floods, with the water level in some areas reaching 80 centimetres.

Mr Grisada said he had ordered provincial governors to provide relief bags and necessary assistance to victims in the flood-hit areas.

The interior permanent secretary also ordered authorities to monitor reports from the weather bureau as more rain is expected over the next few days.

He told officials to remain on standby to help residents.

According to local authorities, as of yesterday there had been no deaths and injuries associated with flooding in the southern provinces.

Mr Grisada said the flooding in Yala this year is as not as severe as it was last year.

Rainfall was considered a good thing in Yala as the province often suffered from drought, he added.

The rain also filled up dams in the province which were at low levels, Mr Grisada said.

There were no reports of flooding in the Yala municipal area yesterday.

Meanwhile, authorities were speeding their work to drain water from the Bae Moh swamp in Muang district of the province as more downpours are expected in the next few days.

Officials overseeing an electricity power plant at Bang Lang dam dismissed claims it had released an urgent message via the Line application on Monday, causing panic among residents of Pattani and Yala provinces.

A message circulated on social media warning local people that water would be discharged from the dam that day.

It urged residents to move their belongings to higher ground as well as prepare for flooding.

The message read: "Urgent, we have been informed by authorities that water will be discharged from the Bang Lang dam in Yala to communities and that the water will overflow into communities in Pattani." It is not known who is responsible.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by Bangkok Post

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