Phetchabun suffers forest run-offs

Kamnan Thao said many villagers in seven villages of Tambon Na Sum were affected. Initial inspection found that 30 people were injured - including one Phad Ranron, 48, was seriously wounded -, 657 houses were partially damaged and two bridges destroyed from the predawn floods that killed two people and caused a fourmonth pregnant woman Jampi Kaewyai missing. Thao said Jampi was possibly dead but they could not find her body yet.

Kamnan Thao said Tambon Na Sum and surrounding areas in Lom Kao district had a network of illegal logging on the mountains with some connection with certain state official but he could stop them or speak too much about them because it might cause troubles to his family. He said he personally believed the deforestation attributed to this recent flood.

Third Army Area Commander, Lt Gen Jiradej Kotcharat, said flood situation in Phetchabun's Lom Kao had improved, and the authority was still searching for the missing.

Meanwhile, the body of Samyai Insa, 38, was found yesterday in Phetchabun's Lom Sak district after the Monday predawn forest runoffs swept away his home from Nam Pung Village in Loei's Dan Sai district and killed his wife Somyupin Seechamuk and 10yearold son Kijawat.

Loei Disaster Prevention and Mitigation chief Suthep Maneechoti said the province set up a flood relief centre and contacted all districts and radio stations to alert people about raininduced disasters during this period. Tambon administration organisations were also told to prepare their existing rainfallmeasuring devices and handoperating sirens, shall a disaster hit and resident evacuation was needed.

Dan Sai district chief said that, although floodwater receded, rains continued and thus they did not yet trust the situation and increase the risky zones from the previously announced 15 to 45 across the district.

Loei Governor Samreung Cheuchawalit had visited Nam Pung Village and promised to rebuild four houses destroyed by floods at higher grounds and to give each death Bt35,000 in assistance money.

Following days of heavy downpours and rising concerns of flash floods from Phu Lanca, the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum yesterday warned 25 floodrisky communities in Muang Chaiyaphum Municipality to be brace themselves while officials piled sandbag barriers Huai Yang Ba Weir as precaution. Chaiyaphum Deputy Governor Patpong Payakkhan said a massive amount of water from Phu Lanca Mountain Ranges in Nong Bua Daeng district, which originated Chi River, had poured into the 200metrelong Huai Yang Ba earthen weir, threatening the weir to bust. He said this weir was the thing to prevent runoffs to flood 25 communities within Muang Chaiyaphum Municipality. Thus he warned residents to prepare for evacuation and move their belongings to higher grounds while local officials made haste to build up sandbag barriers along to weir, get heavy machines in ready and had people monitoring the situation around the clock.