Kon BambooSchoot

Deadly floods
Fierce floods across much of the country have left 14 Thais dead and 54,000 ill with diseases from the often toxic waters.

Praj Boonyawongvirot, Permanent Secretary for Public Health, said at a press briefing on Saturday that most of the victims drowned while trying to escape flood waters.

Dr Praj said that during the past nine days, his ministry had dispatched mobile medical units to treat patients in flooded areas. Most of the patients suffered from foot itching, colds and diarrhoea, he said.

The relief teams are under the patronage of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn

Even as he spoke, flash floods hit Chachoengsao province, just east of Bangkok, where floods have ravaged several districts for more than a week.

In some areas of the province the floodwater was measured at 1.5-to-two metres, forcing villagers to stay home while rice and cassava crops were destroyed under deep water. Food shortages are possible.

Workers from various government offices were pumping water which overflowed from a reservoir.

Mobile medical units from a hospital in Wang Thong district of Phitsanulok were sent to assist more than 200 families who were suffering after a waters rushing down a mountainside inundated their houses.

Medical workers said the villagers were unable to sleep after the flooding had continued in their village for more than a week.

Relief officials in Phitsanulok said six districts were affected, while six roads, two flood control embankments and over 90,000 rai of crops and farmlands were damaged. About 6,000 families have been affected affected so far.