BANGKOK, 10 May 2019 (NNT) – The Hydro – Informatics Institute has reported that the water situation this year closely resembles that of 2007 with adequate supplies for daily use but a risk of insufficient for the agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) has declared seven provinces drought disaster zones.
The DDPM has announced that severe drought has affected Phitsanulok, Roi Et, Si Sa Ket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Maha Sarakham, Trat, and Chon Buri provinces. A total 18 districts, comprising 61 subdistricts and 439 villages are suffering from drought. The department has dispatched trucks to supply water to affected citizens and is setting up water distribution stations. It is now drafting a management plan to ensure water is evenly distributed and asked members of the public to use water sparingly until the drought season ends.
The Hydro – Informatics Institute has outlined areas at risk of severe drought between May and July this year, in the hope of spurring pre-emptive measures and to inform policy.
Institute Director Sutas Wisakul has made known that major rivers in the north have fallen to low levels with their tributaries now at critical levels. Waterways of the northeast have benefited slightly from recent storms, while rivers in the east have medium to low levels and rivers of the central region have medium to high levels and are even subject to overflows during high tide. The south’s rivers have medium to low levels of water.
Up to 10 of the country’s major dams now hold less than 30 percent of their capacity, including Ubol Ratana Dam, which has only 24 percent of its capacity and has had to expel 5.41 million cubic meters of its reserve.
