ONWR reveals that last night, the highest rainfall in Uthai Thani was 148 mm. The situation has improved.

ONWR revealed that the rainfall in Ban Rai District, Uthai Thani Province, was the highest last night at 148 mm. Today, the situation has improved. The rainfall helped replenish water in the Krasaeow Dam for use during the next drought and will not cause additional flooding in areas along the Tha Chin River. Mr. Paitoon Kengkarnchang, Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of National Water Resources (ONWR), revealed that from the incident on October 19, 2014 at approximately 8:00 p.m., there was heavy rain that caused flooding in Uthai Thani Province. Today, ONWR went to the area to monitor the situation and found that the rain that fell in Uthai Thani Province, especially at Ban Hin Tum Station, Ban Rai District, the highest rainfall was measured at 148 mm. This caused flash floods to flow into the commercial area of ??Ban Rai Subdistrict Municipality, Ban Rai District. The flooded area expanded rapidly until it almost covered the entire municipality. The water flowed strongly from Ban Huai Pa Pok, Ban San am, into the Khao Rak Camp Resort, the road in front of Ban Rai Kindergarten School, to the front of Ban Rai Temple. Initially, the damage was under investigation. No injuries or deaths were found. At present, the situation has improved. In this regard, Mr. Thiraphat Kachmat, Governor of Uthai Thani Province, has assigned Ban Rai District to urgently survey the damage and disaster areas. Then, report the emergency disaster to the province to declare it a disaster area. The ONWR Deputy Secretary-General continued that the flood situation in the area occurred above the Krasaeow Dam, which currently has a water volume of 157 million cubic meters, or 53 percent. It can still accommodate a lot more rainfall in the area, without affecting the original flooded areas along the Tha Chin River in both Suphan Buri and Nakhon Pathom provinces. It also helps replenish the water reserves of the Krasaeow Reservoir. It is expected that by the end of this rainy season, the water storage volume will increase by about 80 milli on cubic meters, or about 80 percent, allowing water to be allocated for consumption, ecosystem maintenance, and agriculture to its full potential. For water management to reduce the impact of increased rainfall in the Tha Chin River basin during this period, ONWR has coordinated with the Royal Irrigation Department to reduce the water intake into the area, both at the mouth of Khlong Makham Thao-U Thong from the original intake of 20 cubic meters/second to 10 cubic meters/second, and to stop the intake of water through Khlong Charoen Sam Phan and Khlong Tha San Bang Pla. To enable the irrigation system in the area to be able to accommodate the additional rainfall to its full potential. Source: Thai News Agency