Chiang Mai residents bracing for even worse flooding tonight

The Chiang Mai office of the Royal Irrigation Department issued an urgent advisory this afternoon, updating the flood situation in the Mueang district, with a warning that the water depth in the Ping River is expected to rise above 5m between 9pm and 11pm tonight, from the 4.45m measured at the Nawarat Bridge at 6am this morning.

The depth of the water in the engorged river will exceed the 5m record set during the disastrous flooding of 2011, as a result of the impacts from the Soulik tropical storm last week, which has brought heavy rainfall to the province since last Saturday, according to Atthawit Nakwatchara, chief of the irrigation office.

The areas that expected to flood tonight include the railway station and Wiang Kum Kamand.

At noon today, the depth of the Ping River flowing through San Sai district was 3.69m and 4.48m at the P1 station at the Nawarat Bridge. The level continues to rise steadily.

It is predicted that the water level will rise to between 4.95m and 5.05m, with the rate of flow, estimated at 630-650m3/s between 9pm and 11pm tonight.

Riverside residents are strongly advised to prepare for worsening floods.