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Published on September 12, 2007

 Illegal logging has been blamed for flash floods in Phetchabun's Lom Kao district early on Monday that caused several deaths and extensive damage to local villages.

Tambon Na Sum kamnan Thao Kaewyom said yesterday the dramatic forest run-off was the first such disaster to hit

the area in 60 years - and

he believed it was due to illegal logging on nearby mountains.

Thao said many villagers in seven villages of Tambon Na Sum were affected. An initial inspection found 657 houses were partially damaged and two bridges destroyed by the pre-dawn floods.

Two people were killed and a four-month pregnant woman, Jampi Kaewyai, is still missing. A further 30 people were injured, including Phad Ranron, 48, who was seriously hurt.

Thao said there was little hope Jampi was alive and they had yet to find her body.

He said Tambon Na Sum and surrounding areas in Lom Kao district had a network of illegal loggers on the mountains linked to a certain state official, but he could not stop them or speak too much about them because it might cause trouble to his family. He said he believed deforestation caused the floods.

Third Army Area commander Lt-General Jiradej Kotcharat said the flooding in Lom Kao had lessened, but authorities were still searching for missing people.

In Lom Sak district, the body of Samyai Insa, 38, was found yesterday. His home had been swept away from Nam Pung village in Loei's Dan Sai district. Samyai's wife Somyupin Seechamuk and 10-year-old son Kijawat were also killed.

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 possible flood disasters.

Tambon administration organisations were also told to prepare rainfall-measuring devices and hand-operated sirens in case residents needed to be evacuated.

The district chief in Dan Sai said that while floodwaters had receded, rain continued and they were still concerned about the situation. The number of zones deemed at risk across the district had been increased from 15 to 45.

Loei Governor Samreung Cheuchawalit had visited Nam Pung village and promised to rebuild four houses destroyed by floods on higher ground and pay Bt35,000 in aid to families who had lost loved ones.

Meanwhile, there was rising concern about possible flash floods in Chaiyaphum following days of heavy downpours and run-off from the Phu Lanca mountain range.

Some 25 communities at risk of flooding in Muang Chaiyaphum municipality were warned yesterday to brace themselves, while officials piled sandbag barriers along the Huai Yang Ba Weir as a precaution.

Chaiyaphum Deputy Governor Patpong Payakkhan said a massive amount of water from the Phu Lanca range in Nong Bua Daeng district had fed into the Chi River and poured into the 200-metre-long Huai Yang Ba earthen weir, which was at bursting point.

He said the weir had so far prevented flooding in 25 communities within Muang Chaiyaphum municipality. But he warned residents to prepare for evacuation and to move their belongings to higher ground. Officials were rushing to build a sandbag barrier along the weir and get heavy machines ready.

The Nation

PHETCHABUN