Residents brace for floods as authorities release water from dam

Residents braced for more floods as authorities planned to release water from a dam in central Thailand.

Locals in low-lying areas prepared for the surge of floodwaters after irrigation officials announced warned they were discharging water from the Chao Phraya Dam amid heavy rain in Ang Thong province on July 25.

Suraporn Soranarak, mayor of the Pamok Subdistrict Municipality, said that after anti-flood embankments broke in 2022, water from the dam regularly overflowed into nearby communities.

Footage shows Suraporn leading community leaders to inspect a portion of the flood prevention project, which extends over three kilometres along the Chao Phraya River

Repairs to the dam's breaches were also underway and were expected to be completed by the end of August.

Chatchai Yensuang, Pamok deputy district chief, said that he has ordered village officials to survey risky areas in the lower part of the district as the amount of water this year was more than normal. 

He added that residents along the Chao Phraya River have already completed flood prevention measures.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.