Bangkok braces for floods as Chao Phraya River rises

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BANGKOK, Sept 25 – Residents in 27 communities in 13 Bangkok districts have been warned to be on alert for flooding as the Chao Phraya River is rising.

Sanya Chinimit, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) deputy permanent secretary, said flooding has started affecting people residing outside the BMA’s anti-flood dykes.

Water level in the Chao Phraya River rose to 1.72 metres yesterday morning while the Irrigation Department released water from dams at 2,400 cubic metres per second and rain has yet to stop, he said.

All districts on both sides of the Chao Phraya River were ordered to stay on alert until early next month and told people to move their belongings to higher ground, and check the water level daily.

Mr Sanya said the BMA has prepared five million sandbags to prevent overflowing water and floods in areas where construction of embankments is not yet finished. The remaining section is about 85 metres long.