Mother Nature steps up the pressure
As a mass of floodwater from the north reaches the city's outer defences, authorities are sounding less and less confident that Bangkok will be spared the flooding that has ravaged much of the country.
Deluge reaches city's north
Widespread flooding feared in next 4-5 days, including Thon Buri, Phuttamonthon
POST REPORTERS
Flooding broke out across northern Bangkok yesterday as floodwaters from Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani stressed canals and flood barriers across the city.
Experts warned that worse is to come, as water from the Central Plains puts increasing pressure on the city's outer flood barriers and inner city canals, potentially leading to flooding across many major districts in the city.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra urged city residents to move their possessions and cars to higher ground, and cautioned that flooding could take as long as six weeks to subside within the capital.
About 113,000 people have been relocated to rescue shelters due to the floods. Authorities say 1,743 evacuation centres are open and able to accomodate over 800,000 people.
The situation could reach a crisis point from Friday to Sunday when tides in the Gulf of Thailand are scheduled to peak, which will slow the outflow of water from the capital to the sea.
Bangkok has been mostly spared from the floods to date. But this is sure to change as authorities announced last week plans to open sluice gates in the city, which could lead to widespread flooding in the capital but would also allow the massive pools of water to the north in Ayutthaya and central Thailand to drain faster into the Gulf of Thailand.
Officials were working to shore up flood barriers along Khlong Rangsit in Pathum Thani, but warned that flooding could reach Don Muang, including the government's Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) at Don Mueang airport.
Residents outside of the main city flood wall should leave immediately to evacuation centres, as water levels will continue to rise.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials are monitoring several key areas: Khlong Hok Wa in Sai Mai district in eastern Bangkok, areas near Khlong Mahasawat in Thon Buri and the north along Khlong Rangsit adjacent to Pathum Thani.
Seree Supharatid, director of the Disaster Warning Centre at Rangsit University, warned that unless the BMA completely opens its inner sluice gates to relieve pressure along key outer canals, flooding could break out across the capital. Khlong Rangsit is simply unable to cope with the water coming into the city from Ayutthaya, he said.
"If the BMA does not open all the sluice gates, the water will simply overflow Khlong Rangsit, affecting Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Don Muang, Lak Si, Thung Song Hong all the way to Bang Khen," he said. "To the east at Khlong Hok Wa, so long as the water cannot flow naturally, it may overwhelm the city flood barrier to flood Kaset-Nawamin, Rarm Intra and Lat Phrao."
Dr Seree predicted widespread flooding within the next four to five days, as water from Nonthaburi's Sai Noi and Bang Bua Thong districts race through Taling Chan on the Thon Buri side of the city.
The Froc yesterday warned residents in Thon Buri and Nakhon Pathom's Phuttamonthon to brace for flooding in the next few days when the northern run-off is expected to arrive in western Bangkok.
Chainarin Panpinyaporn, a regional director of the Irrigation Department, said officials would try to manage the inflow as gradually as possible to allow residents in affected areas time to evacuate to safety. But he acknowledged that it remains uncertain whether the Khlong Hok Wa barrier, built up to 1.5m, is sufficient to withstand the force of water pressuring the main flood wall at Sai Mai district in eastern Bangkok.
Along the flood barrier at Khlong Hok Wa, water could be seen seeping through the hastily constructed sandbag barrier, leading to scattered incidents of flooding across the Sai Mai area.
BMA officials raced from one area to the next with water pumps in an effort to channel the water back into the canal.
To the north of Sai Mai, the Highway Department ordered the Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok highway closed as floodwaters rose to as high as one metre, forcing motorists entering the capital from the north to use Vibhavadi Rangsit Road or the Don Muang tollway.
The volume of water pushing against the flood barriers and canal system is so high that leakages were reported along Vibhavadi Rangsit Road near the Don Mueang Airport through the drainage system.
deluge – a sudden flow of a large amount of water, a sudden, very heavy rainfall น้ำปริมาณมาก ฝนตกหนัก
widespread – happening or existing in many places, or affecting many people อย่างแพร่หลาย
stress – to pressure; to press against something กดดัน, อัด, บีบ
barrier – a wall, pile of sandbags, etc., that prevents water from entering สิ่งกีดขวาง
pressure – a force pressing against something ความกดดัน
potentially - possibly เป็นไปได้
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
possessions – things owned ทรัพย์สมบัติ
caution – to warn; to tell someone about a danger or problem that they need to know about or avoid เตือน
subside – to sink to a lower level; to become weaker or less serious ลดลง
relocate – to move someone or something to another place โยกย้ายประชาชนออกจากบริเวณ
shelter – a place where people are protected from danger or bad weather; a temporary place to stay ที่หลบภัย ที่พักชั่วคราว
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
evacuation – moving people from a place of danger to a safer place การอพยพ
accommodate – to provide a place for someone; to provide enough space for something or someone จัดที่อยู่ให้, ให้ที่พักพิง, บรรจุ
situation – all the circumstances and things that are happening at a particular time and in a particular place สถานการณ์
crisis – a situation that has reached and extremely difficult or dangerous point ช่วงวิกฤต
tide – the regular rise and fall of the level of the sea (the tides) ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้นน้ำลง, กระแสน้ำขึ้นน้ำลง
peak – to reach the highest amount or level, before becoming lower ขึ้นจนถึงจุดสุดยอด
capital – the most important town or city of a country, usually where the central government operates from เมืองหลวง
spared – prevented from having to experience something unpleasant อยู่รอด
sluice gate – a gate that can be opened or closed to control the flow water along a passage ประตูน้ำปิดเปิดบังคับการไหลของน้ำในคลอง
massive – very large in size, amount or number ใหญ่โต
drain – to cause water or fluid to flow out ระบายออก
shore up – to help to support something that is weak or going to fail ยัน, พยุง, เสริม
Flood Relief Operations Centre – the government's centre for assisting flood victims ศูนย์ปฎิบัติการช่วยเหลือผู้ประสบอุทกภัย(ศปภ)
immediately – happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
level – the amount of liquid that there is in a container, river, dam, etc., which can be seen by how high the liquid is ระดับ
volunteer – someone who is not paid for the work that they do อาสาสมัคร
industrial estate – an area of land where industrial companies have their buildings นิคมอุตสาหกรรม
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
monitor – to regularly check something จับตาดู เฝ้าระมัดระวัง
key – most important ที่สำคัญ
adjacent - very near, next to, or touching ติดกัน
disaster – an unexpected event, such as a very bad accident, a flood or a fire, that kills a lot of people or causes a lot of damage ความหายนะ ความล่มจม ความโชคร้าย
relieve – to help improve a bad situation ผ่อนคลาย, บรรเทา
cope – to deal successfully with a difficult situation รับมือกับ
overflow – (of a river or body of water) to flood the land next to it ไหลล้น
overwhelm – to defeat someone or something by using a lot of force ล้น,ท่วมท้น
predict – to say that an event or action will happen in the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience คาดการณ์ว่า พยากรณ์จากสถิติว่า
brace – to get ready for something unpleasant เตรียม
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
(Royal) Irrigation Department – The Thai government department in charge of the country's irrigation system กรมชลประทาน
gradually – slowly and in small stages or amounts อย่างทีละน้อย
acknowledge – to accept or admit that something exists, is true or is real ยอมรับ
uncertain – not feeling sure about what to do, whether something is true etc ไม่แน่ใจ, คลางแคลงใจ
sufficient – enough เพียงพอ
withstand – to be strong enough not to be hurt or damaged by extreme force, extreme conditions, etc. ทนทาน
pressure – (of a force) to press against something กดดัน, อัด, บีบ
seep – (of a liquid) to flow slowly and in small quantities through something รั่วซึม
hastily – hurriedly; quickly อย่างรีบเร่ง
scattered – happening in only a few places โปร่ง, หยอมแหยม
incident – something that happens, usually something bad เหตุการณ์
channel – to carry or send water, light, etc. through a passage ทำให้ไหลไปตามช่อง
volume – an amount of something ปริมาณ
leakage – the flow of a liquid or gas out of a hole or crack การรั่วไหล
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