Thai PM tells Bangkok residents to prepare for floods

Thailand’s worst floods in half a century are seeping into the outer districts of the capital Thailand’s prime minister has urged Bangkok residents to get ready to move their belongings to higher ground as the country’s worst floods in half a century begin seeping into the capital’s outer districts. The warning came one day after the government opened several floodgates in a risky bid to let built-up water flow through the city’s canals toward the sea. Authorities had said the canals could overflow but it was not known to what extent. Water has entered homes in Bangkok’s northern Lak Si district, which is located along the capital’s main Prapa canal. The water rose to knee height in some places but damage was minor and had not yet affected Bangkok’s main business district. Yingluck Shinawatra, the prime minister, told reporters the Prapa canal was a big concern as the water had risen significantly overnight. “I would like to ask people in all districts of Bangkok to get ready to move their belongings to higher ground as a precaution,” Yingluck said, adding that people should not panic. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Bangkok governor, said managing the Prapa canal was a “top priority”. Vast runoff from the north is expected to swell its level. Authorities have said immense networks of sandbagged barriers could deteriorate under pressure from the water, since they were not designed as dams. Yingluck has said there are no other options to slow down the approaching water. Prolonged rain and storms have killed 745 people – a quarter of them children – in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and the Philippines this year, according to the United Nations. At least 342 of them were Thais, according to their government. The floods have submerged land in about one-third of the country, leaving some towns under water more than two metres high. The threat of floodwaters swamping downtown Bangkok and ruining treasured ancient palaces has loomed for weeks. No major damage has occurred yet and life remains mostly normal, but inhabitants are preparing for the worst. “The water is coming. It’s inevitable,” said Oraphin Jungkasemsuk, a 40-year-old employee of Bangkok Bank’s headquarters, where sandbags have been stacked two metres high. “They are fighting a massive pool of water. They cannot control it any more,” Oraphin said. “There are barriers but it can come into the city from any direction, even up through the drains.” Economic analysts say the floods have already cut Thailand’s 2011 GDP projections by as much as 2%. Damages could run as high as $6bn (£3.8bn) – an amount that could double if Bangkok floods. Thailand Flooding Natural disasters and extreme weather Rivers guardian.co.uk

Posted by on October 21, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.