Mudslides in Uttaradit updated

We continue our coverage of the devastating flash floods and mudslides that hit rural communities in Uttaradit province last Friday.

A girl stares at the place where her house sat until it was swept away by a flash flood that also triggered a mudslide on Friday in the village of Ban Ton Khanoon in Uttaradit province’s Nam Pat district. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Here is an update on the story we began covering yesterday.

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Mudslide toll rises to five, army called in

POST REPORTERS

The death toll from the Uttaradit mudslides has risen to five, with two still missing as Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra ordered authorities to speed up search, rescue and rebuilding operations.

Ms Yingluck visited villages devastated by Friday's flash flood and mudslide yesterday afternoon, just hours after opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva arrived at the villages to hand out survival kits.

The two did not meet.

The premier was nearly brought to tears when she saw the damaged homes and devastation in Ban Ton Khanoon – one of the four villages struck by a mudslide in Nam Pat district.

"I feel so sorry for the people affected by the disaster," she said, adding that searching for the missing people and repairing damaged roads were the two most urgent tasks.

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry and the Princess Pa Foundation will build at least 50 knock-down homes for people who lost their homes in the disaster, she said.

Ms Yingluck said she had instructed military engineers and the Interior Ministry to take the lead in rebuilding and rehabilitation operations.

She met Defence Minister Yutthasak Sasiprapa and army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha earlier to ask for the military's cooperation in helping disaster victims in Uttaradit. "The army has agreed to take part in installing disaster warning systems in the villages," she said.

Uttaradit governor Yothin Samutkhiri said the flash flood and mudslide destroyed 41 homes and partly damaged 48 others, and damaged 21 roads and nine bridges.

A total of 2,028 villagers from 705 families were affected.

Search and rescue units yesterday found two more bodies, bringing the death toll to five.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk said the water run-off caused substantial damage because there was no forest to slow down the raging water.

The minister, who inspected the villages yesterday, said check dams should be built on waterways flowing into villages to help slow down the water.

The Mineral Resources Department (MRD), which is in charge of identifying villages at risk of flash floods and mudslides, will conduct a new round of surveys to make sure that all disaster-prone villages are included on its hazard maps, he said. The four villages in Uttaradit are not on current mudslide-risk maps.

Flooding continued to ravage many provinces yesterday with water levels in several major rivers rising rapidly amid heavy rainfall, which inundated riverbank communities.

You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/qCIXRx

stare – to look at someone or something very directly for a long time จ้องมอง
sweep away – to destroy or to completely remove something พัดพาไป (ตามลมหรือน้ำ)
trigger – to cause ก่อให้เกิด
mudslide – a large amount of mud sliding down a mountain, often destroying buildings and injuring or killing people below ทะเลโคลนที่มาจากภูเขาทำลายบ้านเรือนและผู้คน
toll – the number of deaths and injuries caused by a disaster, accident, disease, etc. การสูญเสีย
missing – not present after an accident, natural disaster, battle, etc. but not known to have been killed ไม่พบ,หายไป, สูญหาย
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
search – looking somewhere or through something carefully in order to find something การค้นหา
rescue – saving a person or animal from a dangerous or unpleasant situation การช่วยชีวิต
operation – a planned activity involving a lot of people, especially soldiers, police officers or rescue workers การปฏิบัติการ
devastated – badly damaged or destroyed ถูกทำลายล้าง
flash flood – a flood that happens suddenly without warning น้ำที่เกิดท่วมในที่ต่ำโดยฉับพลันทันทีและไหลลดลงอย่างรวดเร็ว
opposition – of a political party that is not part of the government ฝ่ายค้าน  
survival kit – a box or container containing things that you need in order to stay alive if you are in a difficult or dangerous situation in which you are unable to get help
bring to tears – to cause to cry ทำให้ร้องไห้
disaster – something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people  ความหายนะ  ภัยพิบัติ
repair – to fix something that is broken or damaged ซ่อมบำรุง
urgent – needing to be dealt with immediately ที่เร่งด่วน
task – something that you have to do หน้าที่; ภารกิจ
foundation – an organisation that provides money for things such as medical research or for a charity มูลนิธิ
knock-down home – a home that is build after the previous home has been torn down or destroyed
instruct – to tell or order someone to do something สั่ง
rehabilitation – making a system, building, etc., suitable for use again, i.e., bringing it back to a good condition การฟื้นฟูสภาพกิจการ
cooperation – working together to achieve a result that will benefit all sides ความร่วมมือ, การทำงานร่วมกัน
victims – people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
warning – an action or statement telling someone of a possible problem or danger คำเตือน
natural resources –  things such as coal, trees, wildlife and oil that exist in nature and can be used by people ทรัพยากรธรรมชาติ
environment – the place in which people live and work, including all the physical conditions that affect them สภาพแวดล้อม, สิ่งแวดล้อม
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
substantial – large in size or importance มากมาย, ยิ่งใหญ่
raging – happening with a lot of force or violence รุนแรงมาก
inspect – to look at something carefully ตรวจสอบ
check dam – a small dam, which can be either temporary or permanent, built across a small waterway เขื่อนเล็ก
identify – to specify  ระบุ
at risk – in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
conduct – to do something in an organised way; to carry out — ลงมือทำ, ดำเนิน, ปฏิบัติ
survey – the act of examining and recording the measurements, features, etc. of an area of land การสำรวจ, การหาข้อมูล
-prone – (suffix) likely to experience a particular problem more often than is usual ที่มีแนวโน้ม
hazard – something that is dangerous and likely to cause damage สิ่งที่เป็นอันตราย
current – of the present time ปัจจุบัน
ravage – to destroy something or damage it very badly ทำให้เสียหาย, ทำลาย, ล้างผลาญ
level – the amount of liquid that there is in a container, river, dam, etc., which can be seen by how high the liquid is ระดับ
rapidly – happening quickly อย่างรวดเร็ว
amid – at the same time as ท่ามกลาง
inundate – to flood; to submerge ท่วม, ทำให้จมลงใต้น้ำ
riverbank – the land at the side of a river  ฝั่งแม่น้ำ, ตลิ่ง
community – the people living in one particular area ชุมชน

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Help on way for stricken province

PM blames deforestation for tragedy

Post reporters

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has pledged government assistance for villages in tambon Nam Phai in Uttaradit province's Nam Pat district that were devastated by fierce run-off and mudslides on Friday morning.

Uttaradit has long been vulnerable to flooding. Most recently, 75 people were killed in mudslides and mountain run-off which tore through Laplae district in 2006.

Following the latest disaster, three people have been killed and six others remain missing. Mountain run-off destroyed about 60 homes in three villages of Ban Huay Dua, Ban Ton Khanoon and Ban Huay Kom.

The three villages have been left isolated after the run-off washed out four roads, a school and six bridges and also damaged public infrastructure and communication systems.

Full-scale relief efforts are expected to be deployed to assist hundreds of victims in the affected villages today, while Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will lead a team to the affected area to distribute supplies.

Thian Khamwait, 63, cries after her house in Uttaradit’s Nam Pat district was swept away by mountain run-off.

Prime Minister Yingluck yesterday expressed her concerns over the situation in the province before leaving on a state visit to Brunei. She added that she believed deforestation was the main cause of the disaster.

The prime minister promised a long- term solution to prevent mountain run-off in Uttaradit.

She stressed a need to integrate disaster warning systems, which are currently overseen by the science and technology and information and communication technology ministries as well as the Meteorological Department. "They need to be integrated for precise warnings," she said.

You can read the full story here: http://bit.ly/np2q4A

stricken – affected by serious problems ได้รับผลกระทบจากปัญหาหนักหน่วง
deforestation – the act of cutting down or burning the trees in an area การตัดไม้ทำลายป่า
tragedy – a very sad event that causes people to suffer or die โศกนาฏกรรม
pledge – to make a serious promise to do something สัญญา
assistance – help; aid ความช่วยเหลือ
devastated – badly damaged or destroyed ถูกทำลายล้าง
fierce – very strong รุนแรง, ดุเดือด
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
mudslide – a large amount of mud sliding down a mountain, often destroying buildings and injuring or killing people below ทะเลโคลนที่มาจากภูเขาทำลายบ้านเรือนและผู้คน
vulnerable – easily damaged or harmed ซึ่งถูกทำลายได้ง่าย
disaster – something very bad that happens and causes a lot of damage or kills a lot of people  ความหายนะ  ภัยพิบัติ
missing – not present after an accident, natural disaster, battle, etc. but not known to have been killed ไม่พบ,หายไป, สูญหาย
isolated – set apart from; disconnected from แยกออกมา ตั้งอยู่เดี่ยวๆ
infrastructure – a set of systems within a place or organisation that affect how well it operates, e.g., the telephone and transport systems in a country or the system of train tracks that a railway uses สาธารณูปโภค
full-scale – as complete and thorough as possible; all-out การใช้ทรัพยากรที่มีอยู่อย่างเต็มที่
relief – help; assistance การช่วยให้พ้นภัย
deploy – to put into position and made ready for use  การนำลงประจำท้องที่
victims – people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
distribute – to give something such as food, clothes or money to a group of people แจกจ่าย
supplies – the things such as food, medicines, fuel, etc. that are needed by a group of people สิ่งที่จัดหาให้, เสบียง, เวชภัณฑ์
concern – a worry ความกังวล
state – government รัฐบาล
long-term – that will last or have an effect over a long period of time ระยะยาว
solution – a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation  วิธีแก้ปัญหา
stress – to emphasise something such as an idea, fact or detail; to explain why something is important เน้น
integrate – to combine things of different types in one effective system รวมเข้าด้วยกัน
currently – at this time; now ในปัจจุบัน
oversee – to watch or organise a job or an activity to make certain that it is being done correctly คุมงาน,ควบคุม
Meteorological Department – the government department in charge of determining what the weather will be in the future กรมอุตุนิยมวิทยา