Mekong starts flooding communities in Bueng Kan
River’s level in Bueng Kan province measured at 13.40 metres on Sunday, an increase of 10cm from Saturday evening
The rising Mekong River started flooding communities in a tambon in Bueng Kan’s Pak Khat district on Sunday morning and affecting drainage systems in Muang district.
Officials said the Mekong River’s water level in Bueng Kan province was measured at 13.40 metres, an increase of 10 centimetres from Saturday evening.
On average, the water was just 60cm below the banks but it started overflowing in certain low-lying areas, including communities in Tambon Pak Khat of Pak Khat district.
Officials said communities living on low-lying soi along the Naga Ground in the heart of Tambon Pak Khat were under 10-20cm of water on Sunday morning.
Bueng Kan is below Nong Khai, which has also been affected by overflowing of the Mekong. The river has been bloated with floodwaters from upstream after days of heavy rain.
On Sunday, Pak Khat district chief Thawee Chanarong ordered Tambon Pak Khat Municipality to coordinate with troops to reinforce flood levees with sandbags to protect communities along the riverbank.
The district chief also dispatched officials to relocate office equipment from the Pak Khat temporary border checkpoint after the area was flooded.
The Pak Khat district administration also coordinated with Laotian officials to inform Laotian people that the border checkpoint would remain closed until further notice, so Laotian vendors could not cross the border to sell wares in the Monday market on the Thai side.
Meanwhile in Bueng Kan’s Muang district, officials reported that the Mekong River had started flowing into drainage pipes and connected canals.
Officials said water flowed from the Mekong into the connected Kan Yan canal and into the Nong Bueng Kan pond, which was used as a floodwater retaining area.
Local officials and Navy officials have joined forces to use sandbags to block drainage pipes to prevent the water from Mekong from entering the area.
Wicharn Thaenhin, director of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Area 7, said his office has dispatched relief to flooded areas in Bueng Kan, especially in Tambon Pak Khat.
Flat-bottom boats, water pumps and mobile drinking-water units were dispatched to the area.
He said if the situation worsened, his office would set up mobile kitchens to feed affected people.
