KoratFart.com - Nakhon Ratchasima and Isaan Forum for Art, News & Culture

Flash floods hit Korat, Prachinburi


Flash floods caused by continued heavy rains hit Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district on Saturday morning, reports said.

The flood water level on the Mittrapab road at the kilometer marker No 55-56 of Pak Chong was as high as nearly one meter, causing heavy traffic congestion. Defence volunteers and official of rescue units had to help police in facilitating the traffic, the reports said.

Flash floods from Banthad Mountain also hit Prachinburi’s Nadee district this morning according to the reports. The flood water level was more than two meters high, several villages were cut out from the outside world.

Bangkok Post

Heavy flooding hits Nakhon Ratchasima

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Oct 16 -- Hundreds of villagers in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima are now seeing their homes under deep floodwater, over 10,000 rai of farmlands are inundated, and officials of the Fine Arts Department have been seen busily pumping out water from around Phimai Historical Park after heavy rains hit the province Friday, officials said.

Heavy downpours on Friday brought traffic in the provincial seat to a virtual standstill for more than five kilometres early Saturday as the road leading to the city was under 40 centimetres of floodwater.

Five hundred homes in three villages were flooded for the third time since this year's monsoon season started and local residents lost hope in soldiers or provincial officials who tried to resolve the flooding problem but failed in their attempts.

In Pak Thong Chai district, water overflowed a dam and flooded the district as well as more than 4,000 rai of farmland. The water in the dam is now nearly 20 million cubic metres above the storage capacity and water officials must release excess water to prevent the dam from bursting. Villagers in Dan Khun Thot district evacuated to higher ground after water overflowed from a canal and inundated their homes.

Officials in Pak Chong district said more than 2,000 local residents evacuated after water runoff from Khao Yai national park hit their homes late Friday. Floods in some villages in the district is now measured at more than 1.5 metres as rescue officials had to assist the flood victims to evacuate to the main road for their safety.

Cars travelling to Bangkok moved to use the old Friendship Highway which passes through Pak Chong district as parts of the new Friendship Highway are now under water and vehicles cannot pass, officials said.

In Phimai district, more than 3,000 rai of farmland was under water while some important archaeological sites were flooded to a 30 centimetre depth. Fine Arts Department officials pumped out water at Phimai Historical Park due to fear that the flooding could ruin the historical site if it is there for too long, they said.

MCOT online news

Homes, farms inundated

DISASTER IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA AS RECORD FLOOD STRIKES

Vast areas of the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima have been hit by flooding believed to be the most severe in 50 years.



Two days of torrential downpours have inundated the province and 10 districts have been declared disaster zones.

Motorists heading to Bangkok could not use the Mittraphap highway as flood waters cut off sections of the road in Sung Noen district. The flood caused a traffic tailback stretching about 20kilometres. Motorists were forced to use a route along a railway track leading to the centre of the district.

Part of an inbound lane leading to the province was also opened for motorists travelling to Bangkok.

Hundreds of houses in 20 villages in Sung Noen were under a metre of water. At least 20,000 rai (3,200 hectares) of farmland was flooded, and relief units were dispatched to help victims.

Many elderly Sung Noen residents said it was probably the worst flooding in the province in 50 years.

In central Nakhon Ratchasima, two days of heavy rain inundated the Chalerm Prakiat sports stadium and several housing estates. Flood waters rose up to 1.5metres. Residents had to be evacuated to higher ground, and food and drinking water was brought in to the area.

In Chok Chai district, residents at Ban Dan Kwian Villa housing estate were hit by flood waters as high as two metres. They had to move to higher ground and electricity had to be cut off to prevent short-circuits.

In Pak Thong Chai district, the Lam Phra Phloeng reservoir overflowed, with water flooding downstream villages and areas in the municipality.

Seven villages in tambon Nong Sai in Sikhiu district were inundated. with water from the overflowing Khun Niyom reservoir reaching two metres.

The deluge damaged more than 10,000 rai of farmland.

Hundreds of households were evacuated as it was feared the reservoir might crack and burst.

Nakhon Ratchasima governor Rapee Pongbuppakit has declared 10 districts disaster areas.

A flood relief operation centre has been set up to help residents hit by the flooding.

The governor dispatched flat-bottom boats carrying rescue workers and relief supplies to help victims in the hardest hit areas of Sung Noen, Pak Chong, Sikhiu and Pak Thong Chai districts.

The 2nd Army also sent large trucks and personnel to the province.

In Prachin Buri's Na Di district, about 100 households in tambon Bu Phram and a road in the village were under up to 1.5metres of water brought in by run-off from Khao Yai national park.


HELP AT HAND: Rescue workers carry Plang Pakthai, 80, out of his flooded house in tambon Nong Sarai in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Chong district yesterday. Parts of the province have been hit by record high flood waters.

BangkokPost

Oh well, last night it found its way from the river to my garden.

Glad my wife has such good connections and lotsa villagers help securing the river with sandbags.

Here an update to the situation in Korat:

And down came the rain

Residents cut off, trains halted, factories close

Nakhon Ratchasima has declared 15 of its 20 districts disaster zones as flooding continues to wreak havoc on homes, farms and public services.


Flash floods caused by heavy rain swept a handful of provinces at the weekend, including Nakhon Ratchasima, Lop Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Sawan and Phetchabun.

The floods have brought train services to a halt and forced factories to close and residents to evacuate their homes.

In Nakhon Ratchasima, flooding is the worst in 50 years. Governor Rapee Pongbuppakit yesterday declared 15 districts disaster zones.

More than 100,000 residents were affected as floodwaters in most areas rose to more than one metre yesterday. More than 20,000 rai (3,200 hectares) of farmland have been inundated.

Pornsut Thongsard, of the State Railway of Thailand, said flash floods yesterday forced train services to a halt at three spots in Nakhon Ratchasima, one location in Chaiyaphum and one in Nakhon Sawan.

Solid rain submerged some sections of track in one to 1.2 metres of water.


NGPRASERT

More than 1,000 police were deployed to help motorists along Mittraphap Highway covering a wide stretch of the road from Nakhon Ratchasima's Muang to Pak Chong districts.

In Pak Thong Chai district, more than 100 households in Muang Pak municipal area were isolated as severe flooding cut access roads and hampered efforts to evacuate residents.

In Sung Noen district, floods stranded hundreds of workers inside their workplaces for more than 10 hours.

Tiring of the wait, hundreds of staff from four factories in the Navanakorn Industrial Estate late yesterday waded through floodwaters up to 1.3 metres deep from their factories to the estate's entrance.

Most factories at the industrial estate were closed temporarily.

In Lop Buri, three tambons in Muang district - Nikhom, Tasala and Kokko - and several areas in Chai Badan district were flooded after water levels in the Sub Lek and Sub Takien reservoirs overflowed the watergates.

In Nakhon Nayok, flash floods from the hills inundated more than 10 villages.

Many roads were cut off and villagers moved their belongings to higher ground to prevent damage.




Bangkok Post

I am going for a business trip to the Polypore (PPO) corporation in Prachinburi this week.
How terrible is the situation there?
Is the Polypore location in Prachinburi accessible?
Many thanks in advance.