BANGKOK, 19 April 2015 (NNT) – The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department reported on Sunday morning that 211 districts in 34 provinces have been affected by the drought, with 11 northern provinces amongst the hardest hit.
Since 20th Oct 2014, the department has declared drought disaster areas in 10,288 villages in 1,136 Sub-districts.
The drought-hit areas are situated across all regions of Thailand. The eleven hardest hit provinces in the North are Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Tak, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Nan, Lampang, Uttaradit.
Another eight, in the Northeastern region are Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakhon, Amnat Charoen, Buriram, Kalasin and Maha Sarakham. Seven drought areas in the Central region are Saraburi, Chai Nat, Lopburi, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan.
There are three in the East: Chanthaburi, Chonburi and Sa Kaeo. The last five provinces are in the South: Trang, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Phang-nga and Satun.
Water reserves in big dams nationwide are now at a total of 37,632 million cubic meters or 53% of their total capacity. The water level is 1,214 million cubic meters less than that of 2014.
From 1st Nov 2014 to 19th April 2015, 5,938 million cubic meters of water flowed into the dams, while the quantity released was 11,244 million cubic meters.
Correspondent : Paparorn Promlerd
Rewriter : Rodney McNeil
National News Bureau & Public Relations : NNT