THAILAND: Residents stress as river swells in Nonthaburi province

Record ID: 783374

  • Title: THAILAND: Residents stress as river swells in Nonthaburi province
  • Date: 17th October 2011
  • Summary: NONTHABURI, THAILAND (OCTOBER 16, 2011) (REUTERS) FLOODED RESIDENTIAL AREA MAN ON BACK OF BOAT EXTERIOR OF FLOODED HOUSE MAN WALKING INSIDE HIS FLOODED HOUSE DISHES ON TABLE INSIDE FLOODED HOUSE MAN ARRANGING DISHES TABLE ELEVATED FROM FLOOD WATERS (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) 51-YEAR-OLD NONTHABURI RESIDENT, SAMART SOIPRASERT, SAYING: "I'm stressed. Although this place floods every year, it has never been this bad. I'm so stressed because so many things have been damaged." FLOODED CABINET FLOODED HOUSES MAN STANDING ON MAKESHIFT BRIDGE TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) 48-YEAR-OLD NONTHABURI RESIDENT, WIT UNG-TRAKUL, SAYING: "If water came in while I slept, I would not have enough time to carry things upstairs, they would be damaged." ELDERLY MAN WADING THROUGH WATER ON MAKESHIFT BRIDGE ELDERLY MAN WALKING
  • Embargoed: 1st November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand, Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Disasters,Environment
  • Reuters ID: LVA7QVS2QXUIRF96D5ZJ49WRZDI9
  • Story Text: Residents in Nonthaburi province in Thailand were worried on Sunday (October 16) as officials warned increasing water levels could cause more damage to their hometown.
    Talad Kwan, a community located next to Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi province, only 20 km north of Bangkok has been flooded for nearly two months.
    Samart Soiprasert, who born and raised in the community said these were the worst floods he has experienced in his life time.
    "I'm stressed. Although this place floods every year, it has never been this bad. I'm so stressed because so many things have been damaged," said the 51-year-old.
    Residents said provincial officers had warned of more water on Sunday.
    Forty-eight year-old resident, Wit Ung-Trakul, was concerned over water levels rising at night.
    "If water came in while I slept, I would not have enough time to carry things upstairs, they would be damaged," he said.
    Meanwhile, provincial officers rushed to curb the amount of water flowing in from the Chao Phraya river that had already partially submerged a pier at the heart of the economic district.
    Workers were building 1-metre high flood walls with sandbags to protect downtown Nonthaburi.
    "We placed the sandbags to stop the water from the Chao Phraya River from inundating Nonthaburi because this area is a very important economic zone," said provincial officer, said Supat Taechareon, 44, provincial officer.
    Nearly 300 people have been killed since mid of July in the worst floods in 50 years to hit Thailand due to tropical storms and seasonal monsoons, said Thailand's Prevention and Mitigation on Sunday (October 16).
    Flooding has devastated a third of the country, killing at least 297 people and causing about $3 billion in damage.
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