Situation critical

Waters from the north have arrived in Bangkok, causing widespread flooding and renewed calls for evacuation of hardest-hit areas.

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Local residents struggle through floodwater on Charan Sanitwong Road in order to move to safe areas. The neighbourhood is inundated partly due to overflowing floodwaters from Khlong Maha Sawat.

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More districts evacuated

Chao Phraya to peak at 6pm on Saturday

POST REPORTERS

Floods have become more widespread in many parts of Bangkok and residents in Don Muang, Bang Phlad and Thawi Wattana districts have been urged to evacuate to safety immediately.

The alert was issued yesterday by Bangkok governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra after inspecting flood levels in Bangkok areas.

The water level at The Connect Village in Don Muang district has reached over 50cm. Police have closed eight roads in Bangkok to traffic because of the floods, including Vibhavadi-Rangsit, Phahon Yothin, Khamphaeng Phet 6 and Charan Sanitwong.

MR Sukhumbhand said 90% of Don Muang district has already been submerged by rising floodwaters.

The governor also urged residents in Bang Phlad district to move their belongings to high ground and evacuate to nearby shelter centres as the flood situation in the district is now critical, with 70% of the district now under high levels of water.

It is the first time that flood evacuation alerts have been issued in the two districts, he said.

He added that two more districts – Wang Thong Lang and Lat Phrao – are now under close watch.

MR Sukhumbhand also warned residents in 13 districts living outside the flood barriers on the banks of the Chao Phraya River to prepare for evacuations as the water level will peak as a result of high sea tides in coming days.

Flooding in western Bangkok has also worsened as the massive flow of run-off from Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani spread through Thawi Wattana district yesterday, prompting evacuations.

Thawi Wattana district chief Prapat Thirapongthorn said the flood situation in the district is worsening as a substantial volume of floodwater from Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani is flowing into the Chao Phraya River, which breached its banks, inundating riverside and canalside communities.

Residents along riverbanks and on the banks of Khlong Maha Sawat are urged to leave immediately, Mr Prapat said, adding the overflow will continue to rise further in the next few days.

He stressed the floods will be very severe and the areas at risk must be evacuated straight away.

Evacuation shelters have been set up at schools run by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in the district.

No vehicles are allowed to use Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road in front of Don Mueang Airport due to flooding. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Meanwhile, advancing runoff from Vibhavadi Rangsit Road reached Lak Si intersection near IT Square department store. The waters were about 60cm high.

Vice-Admiral Nirut Hongprasit, director-general of the Royal Thai Navy's Hydrographic Department, said the Chao Phraya River's water level is predicted to reach its peak at 2.65m after 6pm on Saturday. The peak level should last no more than 30 minutes, he said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said yesterday there was no need at this stage to relocate the Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc) even though Don Mueang Airport, where the command is based, is swamped.

Ms Yingluck said she will consider again whether the Froc should be elsewhere as moving evacuees taking shelter at the airport is a priority. She expected relocation of all the evacuees will be finished today.

She said the Froc can continue to work on the second floor of the airport's passenger terminal building and that she is also looking at the possibility of holding video conferences to coordinate flood management efforts.

She rejected suggestions that relocating the Froc would be tantamount to a loss of face or embarrassment for the command, which could not even protect its own turf from inundation.

"I am not afraid [of a loss of face]," Ms Yingluck said, adding that if the Froc is to relocate, it needs to be sure that its new headquarters are convenient and functional.

local – in or related to the area that you live, or to the particular area that you are talking about  ท้องถิ่น
residents – people who live in a particular area ประชาชนที่อาศัยในท้องที่
struggle – to try hard to do something that you find very difficult พยายาม
neighbourhood – a particular area of a city or town ละแวก, ย่าน
inundate – to flood; to submerge ท่วม, ทำให้จมลงใต้น้ำ
due to – because of เนื่องจาก
overflow – (of a river or body of water)  to flood the land next to it ไหลล้น
evacuate – to leave a place because it is not safe อพยพออกจากพื้นที่
peak – to reach the highest amount or level, before becoming lower ขึ้นจนถึงจุดสุดยอด
widespread – happening or existing in many places, or affecting many people อย่างแพร่หลาย
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
immediately – happening right after something else with no delay; right away ทันที
alert – a warning to people to be prepared to deal with something dangerous การเตือนให้ระวัง
issue – to officially announce or give out  ออก, ออกประกาศ, ออกคำสั่ง
inspect – to look at something carefully ตรวจสอบ
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
submerged – under water  จมน้ำ อยู่ใต้น้ำ
belongings – the things you own ข้าวของเครื่องใช้
shelter – a temporary place to stay ที่พักชั่วคราว
critical – (of a bad situation) very serious or dangerous อย่างรุนแรง  อย่างวิกฤต
barrier – a wall, pile of sandbags, etc., that prevents water from entering สิ่งกีดขวาง
tide – the regular rise and fall of the level of the sea (the tides) ปรากฏการณ์น้ำขึ้นน้ำลง, กระแสน้ำขึ้นน้ำลง
bank – a raised area of land along the side of a river  ริมฝั่งแม่น้ำ
massive – very large ใหญ่มหาศาล
flow – the continuous movement of a liquid in one direction การไหล
run-off – rain, water or other liquid that runs off land into streams and rivers น้ำหลาก
spread – to (cause to) cover, reach or have an effect on a wider or increasing area or number of people กระจายไปทั่ว
prompt – immediate or quick ทันที
substantial – large in size, value or importance มากมาย, ยิ่งใหญ่, สำคัญ
volume – an amount of something ปริมาณ
breach – to break through or over something ข้าม, ทำให้แตก
community – a group of people who share the same  job, interests, religion, etc สังคม
stress – to emphasise something such as an idea, fact or detail; to explain why something is important เน้น
severe – very serious and worrying ที่รุนแรง ที่น่าเป็นห่วง
at risk – in danger ตกอยู่ในความเสี่ยง
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) – the local government of Bangkok กรุงเทพมหานคร
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
advance – to move forward เคลื่อนไปข้างหน้า
intersection – a place where roads, lines, etc., join or cross each other สี่แยก
hydrographic – connected with hydrography, the measurement of the depths, the tides and currents of a body of water
predict – to say that an event or action will happen in the future, especially as a result of knowledge or experience คาดการณ์ว่า พยากรณ์จากสถิติว่า
last – to continue to exist  สืบต่อไป
stage – a particular point in time during a process or set of events ระยะเวลา ช่วงเวลา
relocate – to move someone or something to another place โยกย้ายประชาชนออกจากบริเวณ
Flood Relief Operations Centre – the government's centre for assisting flood victims ศูนย์ปฎิบัติการช่วยเหลือผู้ประสบอุทกภัย(ศปภ)
swamped – covered with a large amount of water ท่วม, จมอยู่ในน้ำ
evacuee – a person who leaves a place of danger ผู้อพยพ
priority – something important that must be done first or which needs more attention than something else การมาก่อน
terminal – a large building at an airport where passengers arrive and leave อาคารผู้โดยสาร
coordinate – to organise the different parts of a job or plan so that the people involved work together effectively ประสานงานกัน
reject – to not agree with ปฏิเสธ ไม่ยอมรับ
suggestion – the possibility that something is true, or evidence showing that something may be true ข้อชวนคิด
tantamount to – almost the same or having the same effect as, usually something bad เท่ากัน
embarrassment – a feeling of being nervous or ashamed because of what people know or think about you ความขวยเขิน, ความกระดากอาย
turf – a place or area that someone thinks of as being their own เขต ฐาน
headquarters – the place where an organisation or company has its main offices สำนักงานใหญ่ กองบัญชาการ
convenient – easy to use or suitable for a particular purpose สะดวก
functional – able to be used ใช้การได้