Flood-related deaths rise to 185, landslides continue to occur in South

Published : November 10, 2010 :: 13:11:09 [ 1,296 views ]

BANGKOK, Nov 10 -The number of flood-related deaths rose to 185 across the country from Oct 10 until the present.

According to the authorities, the death toll from flooding in the upper part of the country was recorded at 127 and 18 provinces remained under water. Flooding in the South triggered by heavy rain has left 58 persons dead since October 30 and 12 provinces remained flooded.

In the southern province of Surat Thani, the flood situation becomes worse as the Tapee River flooded two more districts of Ban Na Doem and Phunphin, raising the total number of inundated districts to six including Phrasaeng, Wiang Sa, Ban Na San, Khian Sa, Ban Na Doem and Phunphin so far.

The flood water level in Ban Na Doem and Phunphin is 1-1.5-metre deep. Emergency workers have evacuated some 50 villagers in areas at risk for landslides to a school which was prepared as a safe haven from the floods,

Tha Chana district chief Surinyan Chirasuntorn said.

Residents of Vibhavadi district were urged to move out from areas at risk to safe places. However, some villagers in these flood-hit districts have stayed at home to keep watch over their valuables that are not portable.

Meanwhile, Satit Wonghnongtaey, PM’s Office Minister, in capacity as chairman of committee to follow up assistance to flood victims conceded that there is some delay in compensating about 630,000 people affected by flooding in the northeastern and central regions.

Mr Sathit said he would assign the committee secretary to ask governors of flood-hit provinces to speed up gathering the names of flood victims and submit to the committee, so compensation can be completed by the end of this month. The process can begin immediately after the names are handed into the committee.

Since the flood began receding, only 10,000 people have received the payments so far. The committee expected about 1,000,000 households comprising some 630,000 families in upper Thailand and some 300,000 in the South are eligible for compensation.

The committee will expedite disbursement of the money to 150,000 households this week.

Rehabilitation work will start in Nakhon Sawan on Nov 12 and after that it will be held in Lop Buri and other provinces where floods have receded, he said.

The first arrangement of rehabilitation operations will be done in provinces, which have already submitted the names of flood victims.

The committee will invite governors of 50 flood-affected provinces to attend a meeting and will ask them to gather names and quickly submit to the committee, Satit said.

Report by : MCOT online news

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