Asia-Pacific

Severe flooding kills 20 in Thailand

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-21 10:22

AYUTTHAYA - The worst floods in decades in Thailand and severe flooding in neighboring Cambodia have killed 20 people, authorities said on Wednesday, as rescue workers braced for more rain and possible flooding in Bangkok.

Rescue teams evacuated stranded villagers by boat in some provinces, including the old Thai capital Ayutthaya where floodwaters swelled to about 1.5 meters in some districts, cutting off roads and inundating homes, shops and farmlands.

A resident carries food as he wades through floodwaters in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of Bangkok on Wednesday. [Photo/Agencies]

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"The water usually comes and goes very quickly but this time, there is so much," said Sabai Maingam, 48, wading through chest-high water in her wooden shophouse.

Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said 12 people had been killed since Oct 10. In neighboring Cambodia, eight have died, according to Cambodia's National Committee for Disaster Management.

The erratic weather coincides with a strengthening typhoon heading for southern China after wreaking havoc across the northern Philippines, destroying thousands of homes and killing at least 11 people.

In Thailand, flooding has hit 17 provinces, swamping tens of thousands of hectares of farmland and damaging at least one major northeastern road, said Vibul Sanguanpong, director-general of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

"We are watching the situation closely to see whether the flooded area will expand," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters.

Authorities said the swelling Chao Phraya River that winds through Bangkok and nearby provinces could overflow its banks in the coming week, causing flooding in the city of about 15 million people. Bangkok sits only 2 meters above sea level.

The cabinet on Tuesday doubled a provincial emergency budget to 100 million baht ($3.3 million), said government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn.

He said it was too early to estimate crop damage. Thailand is the world's biggest rice exporter.

In neighboring Cambodia, floods have caused an estimated $70 million in damage, destroying roads, irrigation systems, bridges and homes, said Nhim Vanda, vice-chairman of the government's National Committee for Disaster Management.

"Around 10,000 hectares of rice paddy fields in nation wide were completely destroyed," he said.

Reuters