Lom sak: Flooding in Lom Sak District, Phetchabun Province, affecting both homes in communities and commercial areas, has begun to recede, but flooding remains in several areas and has damaged hundreds of homes. Many residents are disheartened after their homes were flooded twice in the past three weeks.
According to Thai News Agency, the floodwall along the Thai Lom Walking Street in Lom Sak District, Phetchabun Province, collapsed more than 10 meters yesterday. Officials have now successfully sealed it, and the water level in the Pa Sak River has receded. This has led to a continued receding of water levels that had inundated homes in communities and commercial areas within Lom Sak Municipality. In some areas, the water level has receded to the road surface, but the damage has been extensive. Residents are already surveying the damage and cleaning their homes before the water and mud dries, making them difficult to clean.
Like 78-year-old Hia Ngow, owner of a grocery store in a community along the Pa Sak River, who led a news team to survey the damage to his house, which was covered in mud and swollen cabinets and furniture. He recounted the moment the water wall broke, hearing a loud crash. Water rushed into the alley, smashing into belongings he had carried to escape the floodwaters. Some were not raised high enough and were damaged by the floodwaters. This year, his house has been flooded twice in the past three weeks. The first time, the damage was the worst because he couldn't store things in time. Almost all furniture, appliances, and other belongings, worth hundreds of thousands of baht, were damaged. His refrigerator, which he had just had repaired a few days ago, was flooded again, and after a few days of repairs, he felt discouraged.
The water level in the Pa Sak River, which flows through Lom Sak District, at the S3 water level gauge in Tal Diao Subdistrict, is gradually decreasing by nearly 10 centimeters per hour. However, it remains approximately 20 centimeters above the riverbank, leading to continued leakage into the breached embankment. The water level must be reduced to below 8.50 centimeters, which is below the riverbank. Lom Sak Municipality will urgently pump out floodwaters and repair damaged embankments in preparation for the heavy rains expected later this month.
While the flooding situation in Lom Sak District has begun to recede, many families in riverside communities are still suffering severely, having been hit by floods twice and the rains are still ongoing. They are unsure whether they will be flooded again.