Floods continue to submerge homes, roads and agricultural lands in northeastern Thailand, resulting in the relocation of more than 23,000 people to temporary shelters. Meanwhile, frustration is growing with the authorities’ slow response.
Torrential rains have hit the country in the past two weeks, causing heavy flooding and mudslides in several provinces. Many families had to be evacuated from their homes by boat or makeshift raft.
Since 29 August, at least 32 people have died, according to a report from the Department of Disasters published on Saturday.
Two meteorological events caused these floods: storm Podul and a tropical depression that began over the South China Sea called Kajiki.
The media in Ubon Ratchathani, the most affected province, reported that the local population was moving in waters that reached their chests.
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Flooding in this province, which borders Laos and Cambodia, has been exacerbated by rising water levels in the Mun and Chi rivers.
« It will take three weeks to drain the floodwater » for 90% of flooded households, Governor Sarit Witoon said.
« The water has slightly receded about four centimetres today and I think it will keep going down, » he added.
The reaction of the central authorities in Bangkok was also pointed out.
« The government has been very slow in responding to the situation since the floods started in the beginning of September, » said Pongsak Saiwan, local leader of the opposition Future Forward party.
Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan o-cha tweeted on Saturday that he had asked the various agencies to « expedite assistance » to the populations of the affected areas.
