WIll the Floods reappear in 2012?

[Guest fountainhall]

As the forecasters today warn of possible flooding and forest run-off in the next 36 hours in the North, Northeast, Central plains, East and South, government officials have been declaring water drainage tests conducted yesterday in Bangkok a success.

 

Science and Technology Minister Plodprasop Suraswadi said yesterday's tests showed the water flow in the canals has improved by 20% to 30% after a full year of work to repair the sluice gates and the installation of water flow-accelerating devices.

 

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said the drainage tests ran smoothly as none of the seven spots being watched closely for possible flooding during the trials were affected as had been feared.

http://www.bangkokpo...d-drill-success

 

More test are due tomorrow in eastern Bangkok.

[Rogie]

The opposition Democrat Party, meanwhile, countered that the measurement of improved water drainage capacity that was seen in the trials yesterday did not represent the actual drainage capacity of the canals in a real-life situation.

 

(Quote from the same BP article cited in OP.)

 

That would more or less be my reaction too. I am sure more tests are needed, the more rigorous the better. However, credit where credit's due, if the work they say has been done works as they are hoping and claiming, then somebody deserves a clap on the back - and that's an accolade seldom deserved these days!

 

Let's wait and see.

[Guest fountainhall]

Well, surprise, surprise! As daddydawg pointed out in another thread, Friday's tests has to cancelled due to heavy rain and the risk of flooding

[Guest fountainhall]

Well, seems flooding is now not only likely this year, it's only a question of where and when. Sukhothai and part of the north are already under water and Bangkok's Deputy Governor has warned of flooding in some parts of the city due this week-end.

 

In Sukhothai, it was not, as is usually the case, an overflow from the Yom river. This year, we are told, it was a case of failure in barriers built in 2001. The Yom river normally overflows into rural areas. The 2001 flood barriers protect the inner city.

 

And who is responsible for this disaster? Even after everything the nation went through last year, bucks are being passed around as quickly as you can say "Splish, Splash, I'm taking a bath!"

 

"This was an unprecedented accident," Science Minister Plodprasob Surassawadee, who is also chairperson of the flood management committee, told media on Tuesday at Government House and apologised to flood-hit Sukhothai residents.

 

He said he was unaware of the failings in the cement barriers that were built in 2001, which allowed the water to flow into the town. He said the flooding should recede in a few days.

 

So, it was unprecedented! He was unaware? Naturally, not having happened in the last few years, absolutely no-one bothered to check the state of the cement. This is Thailand, after all!

 

Never mind! The PM has instructed Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk to fly with officials to visit the flood-affected areas, covering 5 square kilometres, which have been under 1.5 metres deep flood water.

 

Surely that’s reassuring? Well, not if what he said to local authorities is to be believed.

 

"Local authorities have not set up any management system to handle the flood situation," Preecha said.

 

"No one knows their responsibilities in dealing with the emergency. The single command centre must be set up now and working around the clock to stop flooding. If not, it will get worse," he told local authorities at the Sukhothai provincial rural roads office.

 

Provincial governors nationwide already have the authority to set up a command centre to handle floods. They do not need to an order from the government or Water and Flood Management Committee.

 

"We have to accept that Sukhothai local authorities had no experience in handling floods inside municipality areas," he said.

http://www.nationmul...g-30190302.html

 

So, no experience and unprecedented! No command centre! Authorities have control and do not exercise it! Didn't we hear all of this only a year ago?

 

Meanwhile, flooding continues down river of Sukhothai, and parts of Bangkok brace themselves for more flooding over the week-end. Unbelievable!

[Guest fountainhall]

I'll let the media do the talking.

 

Water from the North is surging toward the Central Plains despite attempts to curb its volume.

The Royal Irrigation Department yesterday said Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani that are situated downstream from the Chao Phraya dam in Chai Nat stand to be affected by the Chao Phraya overflowing.

 

The department has boosted discharge at the dam to 1,800-2,000 cubic metres per second to drain water upstream in Nakhon Sawan province and also to prepare for heavy downpours expected to continue until next Monday . . .

 

Sujarit Khunthanakulwong, head of the Department of Water Resources Engineering at Chulalongkorn University, said water would reach Bangkok in seven to 10 days and it may cause problems in the capital if it rains heavily from today until Monday as the Meteorological Department has predicted.

 

And of course there are contradicting reports as to what might happen in Bangkok.

 

Seree Supratid, a lecturer on disaster management at Rangsit University, thinks floods will be limited in Bangkok due to its good flood prevention facilities.

 

He said heavy rains are the key factor for determining whether there will be flooding in the capital because this may exceed the city's drainage capacity.

 

In some areas, it may take six to 10 hours to drain the water. Otherwise, Bangkok will stay safe, said Assoc Prof Seree.

 

On the other hand

 

the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has put all 50 districts in the capital city on alert for possible flooding.

 

Bangkok deputy governor Malinee Sukvejvorakij said yesterday staff of all districts were told to install water pumps in flood-prone areas so that rainwater can be quickly drained away.

http://www.bangkokpo...ya-locals-brace

 

Yet again, one has to ask: why install water pumps NOW when this should surely have been done many months ago?

 

Last night around 9:30 pm there was very heavy rain in Bangkok for at least an hour. This morning, though, it is bright and sunny.