Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has ordered the evacuation of 200 households along the Hok Wa canal outside the capital’s flood prevention dyke to two schools provided as temporary shelters.
Sai Mai and Rittiya Wannalai schools can accommodate about 1,000 persons and the evacuation should be done within 24 hours, he said.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA, Bangkok’s City Hall) is reinforcing and elevating the dyke along the Hok Wa canal to a height of 3.50 metres from the existing 2.50 metres.
The evacuation alert is the second statement from the Bangkok governor Wednesday after he earlier today warned Bangkok residents in seven flood-prone districts to be on heightened alert and move their belongings to upper floors, unplug electrical appliances and to study the BMA’s evacuation plan in case of emergency.
The City Hall warning came after many parts of dykes at the Raphiphat canal in Pathum Thani have been breached since Tuesday, causing water to overflow into the Rangsit canal, posing flood threat to northern and eastern districts of the capital.
via Bangkok governor orders first evacuation for northern Bangkok.
Since there have been some complications upon the operation of the dykes at Khlong 3, Khlong 4, Khlong 5 and Khlong 6 of Pathumthani Province imposing further extents of the problems as the volume of over flowing floods from the above Khlongs would combine with the mass volume of the flood from the northern parts of Bangkok resulting the total volume of more than 1,200 million cubic meters. The massive volume of the flood would over flow into the Rangsit Plain affecting the dykes protecting the City of Bangkok and, consequently, the following districts could be inundated:
1. Sai Mai District
2. Khlong Sam Wa District
3. Bang Khen District
4. Nong Chok District
5. Min Buri District
6. Lat Kra Bang District
7. Khan Na Yao District
Hence, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) informs the above situation of the flood and requests the general public to follow the situation very closely, remain calm and prepare the relocation of belongings including replacing electrical outlets to a higher level. BMA will report the development of the situation and issue announcement every three hours so the public could be instructed and prepare appropriate measures accordingly.
BMA would like the general public to be assured that the administration will perform our tasks with the utmost accountability. Furthermore, the administration has already devised the evacuation and mitigation plan for the public which could be further consulted at www.bangkok.go.th and the offices of the above districts or at the Center of the Protection and Flood Relief Operation, BMA tel. no. 1555
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra
Governor of Bangkok
Dated October 19, 2011
