Thailand's flood death toll rises to 94

BANGKOK, Oct 29 – Thailand’s flood death toll rose to 94 persons, including 78 men and 16 women in almost three weeks of flooding, the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand reported on Friday.

The highest number of deaths were recorded at 18 in the northeastern
province of Nakhon Ratchasima, followed by 12 in Nakhon Sawan, 11 in
Lopburi and seven in Ayutthaya.

The national Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported that the
floods continued in 27 provinces and had returned to normal in 11 provinces.

About 3,000 businesses and some 250,000 employees have been affected
while 306 schools have been flooded.

In Bangkok, the water level in the Chao Phraya River will reach its peak
at 2.02 metres at 12.45 pm at the Royal Thai Navy headquarters on Friday,
according to the Hydrographic Department.

In Nonthaburi, adjacent to Bangkok, the flood water at Sawang-arom temple
is about ten centimeters higher that during the severe flood in 1995.

Across the river, Koh Kret, a small island and cultural tourist site in Nonthaburi, the chest-deep flood water caused tourist numbers dropped from some 500-1,000 on weekends to only 300-500 visitors now.

In the hardest-hit province of Nakhon Ratchasima, the water level in the
Mun River has dropped 5-6 centimetres.

In the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani, authorities are on alert
as the rising water from the Chee and Mun rivers will converge in Ubon
Ratchathani during November 2-10. However, Royal Irrigation Department
director-general Chalit Damrongsak said that the water will overflow its banks by not more than 60 centimetres due to effective water management
of the two rivers upstream.

Mr Chalit inspected the water level in Ubon Ratchathani on Friday as it
stayed at 7.02 metres. He said floodwaters flowing into Ubon Ratchathani
next week will have little impact on local residents. (MCOT online news)