Asia-Pacific

2 weeks of flooding in Thailand kill 57 people

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-10-27 16:17

A man holds his dog while walking through flood waters at the Buddha Antique Market in Bangkok October 27, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

BANGKOK -- Heavy downpours that caused rivers to burst around Thailand have killed 57 people in nearly two weeks of flooding that officials are calling the worst in several decades, authorities said Wednesday.

The fatalities have occurred in central, eastern and northeastern provinces and have affected more than 3 million people in 36 of Thailand's 76 provinces, government medical and disaster agencies said. The floods have eased in a third of those provinces.

More than 4 million sandbags were used to erect walls this week in Bangkok along stretches of the Chao Praya River, which has swelled with runoffs from upper provinces that officials feared could inundate the capital.

Related readings:  Thailand's flood death toll rises to 56  Flood swamps Bangkok; 38 killed in Thailand  Cyclone slams Myanmar as flooding hits Thailand  Severe flooding kills 20 in Thailand

So far, flooding in Bangkok has been minimal but riverside residents were warned to be on alert through Friday, after which current high-tide levels were expected to subside.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva warned that new risks loomed next month.

"We have to keep an eye on the situation closely," Abhisit said Wednesday, adding that tidal levels were expected to rise again early next month. "The worrying period will return in the beginning of next month. The supervision must continue."

Last week, Abhisit said the flooding was the country's worst in 40 or 50 years.

The Cabinet on Tuesday allocated 283 million baht ($9.42 million) to purchase boats, mobile toilets, sandbags, tents and other equipment to assist flood victims. About 600,000 households that suffered the flooding for more than one week would be given initial relief funds of 5,000 baht ($170).

The Public Health Ministry has ordered 55,100 sets of mobile toilets in the flooded areas. The toilets vary from cardboard box toilets to floating toilets and toilets improvised from chairs and plastic bags.