Thailand – Deadly Floods in Sukhothai Province

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) said yesterday that 2 people have died in flooding in Khiri Mat district of Sukhothai province.

In what were described as unprecedented flood levels, some areas of the districts were under 2 metres of water. Schools have been closed, 700 homes damaged and almost 6,000 families affected.

Heavy rainfall last week resulted in flooding in several provinces in the north of the country. Sukhothai is now the eight province in Thailand to be affected by flooding since 15 May, 2017.

ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) said that, as of late last week, 7 provinces and 61 villages had been affected by floods. AHA Centre added:

“In Kamphaeng Pet, the worst affected province, 800 houses were damaged. Meanwhile, 2,000 families in Uttaradit province were urged to evacuate to safer places due to the situation. In total, 853 houses were reportedly affected in province of Kamphaeng Pet, Uttaradit, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Lampang, Loei and Udon Thani.”

Chao Phraya River

Levels of the Chao Phraya River and dam are already high and irrigation officials have begun discharging water downstream.

Yesterday, DDPM officials said that communities along the river in the provinces of Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Suphan Buri should prepare for potential flooding.

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