FLOOD HIT: Mekhong river at its highest for 30 years

By The Nation  August 14, 2008

Heavy rains from upstream areas submerge homes and farmland
The Mekhong River has reached its highest level in 30 years, with floodwater submerging homes and farmland from Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district all the way to Loei's Chiang Khan district.

Water Resources Department director general Siripong Hungspreuk said yesterday that it had been expected that heavy downฌpours from upstream China and Laos as well as in upper northern Thailand would cause the river to reach its highest ever level around mid August.

Yesterday the river exceeded the  record high set 30 years by 10 to 20 centimetres at some water measuring stations, he said. In Chiang Saen, the river was 10.49 metres, and 10.46 metres in Chiang Khan, he said. Overflows caused flooding up to two metres deep in some areas in Chiang Rai, Loei, Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan. He said it was expected that the situation would be back to normal next week.

Chiang Rai disaster prevention chief Korn Pijadee said the flooddamaged areas were in Chiang Saen, Chiang  Khong and Wiang Kaen districts.

In Chiang Saen, 17 villages in Tambon Ban Saew, Sri Don Mool, Mae Ngern and Wiang were subฌmerged, while some 1,000 homes and 7,000 rai of farmland in Chiang Khong's seven tambons were flooded, he said.
Chiang Rai would continue to have rainfall for one or two days, the weather bureau warned yesterday.

In the lower northern province of Phetchabun, 10 hours of heavy downpours caused forest floods from Khao Kho Mountain to put a 500metre stretch of the Lom Sak, Sara Buri Road under deep water.