Sonca hammers Kalasin before weakening, but more rain expected
The Northern and Northeastern regions have been hammered this week as nine provinces suffered flash floods caused by storm Sonca.
Sonca devastated many communities and over 80,000 rai (12,800 hectares) of farmland.
In its latest update, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) says submerged areas include Payao, Sakon Nakhon, Kalasin, Roi Et, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Lop Buri and Yasothon.
Kalasin reportedly suffered the most extensive damage with 61,165 rai underwater. Some 439 villages and 11,976 families in Kalasin alone were affected, reported the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
Sakon Nakhon province also faced severe damage from flash flood, with 4,330 rai of land submerged according to RID, and the entire urban area of Sakon Nakhon Town was flooded.
In other provinces, RID reported that 8,000 rai of land in Roi Et was flooded as well as 4,500 rai in Payao, 3,000 rai in Maha Sarakham, 1,500 rai in Nakhon Phanom, and 975 rai in Khon Kaen.
The department also revealed that two major dams in Sakon Nakhon in the Northeastern region have already reached a critical level of water storage. Nam Un Dam has reached 110 per cent of water storage capacity, and Nam Phung Dam is at 90 per cent of capacity.
And more rain is expected.
The Meteorological Department issued a warning that the upper part of Northeastern region will have heavy rain over the next few days, as the low depression of Sonca was still active, even though the storm has already weakened.
