Trat residents concerned about further flooding
Although the floodwaters have already receded, residents in some areas of Trat said on Thursday that they are worried about more inundations as days of heavy rain threaten to hit the Eastern province.
The flooding is expected to be more severe because the provincial irrigation authority has yet to drain the water in Khao Rakam reservoir.
Parts of the town were flooded early this week when the provincial irrigation authority was forced to drain water from Sa Si Siat reservoir on Sunday (July 21) following heavy rains, affecting 400 residences in Mueang district.
Wat Bot Community, Kitsawat Community, Thetsaban Road, Pattanakan Plai Khlong Road, Kitti Pattana Road, Soi Sueb Sawaengsap and Soi Rom Sai were among the areas that saw floodwaters rise by 40 to100 centimetres, closing roads and forcing the evacuation of residents to safe zones.
Locals have not removed sandbags from their residences but instead reinforced the barrier to deal with possible flooding.
A flood victim told the press that he was still not confident about the situation and had asked Trat Municipality for more sandbags.
He said he was satisfied with the transfer of Trat irrigation chief, Khanchai Chaikong, for triggering floods in the province. He added that water management professionals were needed to deal with possible flooding over the upcoming long weekend.
“When the flood hit the province, my father told me he had never seen such so much water in 70 years,” he said.
Chanthaburi irrigation chief Pornprom Unthaen has been transferred to Trat to assume the position of irrigation chief, replacing Khanchai.
Meanwhile, Thumrongsak Nakarawong, director of the Trat irrigation project, has ordered that water be drained from Khao Rakam reservoir into Sa Si Siat reservoir to cope with possible heavy rains.
He also urged officials and residents near Sa Si Siat reservoir to beware of possible flooding as a result of the release of water.
