Bangkok, 7 provinces brace for floods as upstream dam exceeds capacity
People living alongside the Chao Phraya River in eight provinces were warned to move their belongings to higher ground on Friday as river levels rose further.
The flood warning was issued for riverside communities in Bangkok, Pathum Thani, Saraburi, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Singburi and Chainat.
Residents were also urged to keep checking updates from the water authority.
The warning came after the Pasak Jolasid Dam upstream in Lopburi reached 105.64 per cent of capacity on Friday.
The dam’s operators said they are increasing water discharge to 900-1,200 cubic metres per second (m3/sec) in order to stabilise the dam structure.
The water takes about 30 hours to reach Rama VI Dam in Ayutthaya before flowing south to Bangkok.
Meanwhile, the National Water Command Centre (ONWR) said heavy rain in the Upper Chao Phraya River Basin and the Pa Sak River Basin was causing the Chao Phaya and Ping rivers to swell.
Authorities expect water in the Rama VI Dam to rise between 2.3 and 2.8 metres from Friday (October 1) to October 5, increasing the risk of flooding downstream.
