The “Mae Ngat Somboonchon Dam” has issued a water situation warning, predicting that the water level will exceed the maximum storage capacity and overflow into surrounding areas along the Mae Ngat River around 1:00 AM on September 26, 2024.
On September 25, 2024, reports indicated that the Mae Faek-Mae Ngat Somboonchon irrigation project announced a warning due to heavy rainfall influenced by Typhoon “Surig” and a low-pressure area affecting Chiang Mai province between September 21-24, leading to increased water levels in the Ping River and its tributaries, consequently raising the inflow into the dam.
As of 7:00 AM on September 25, 2024, the dam’s water level was measured at 277.166 million cubic meters, representing 104.59% of its capacity, at +397.250 meters above sea level. Forecasts indicated that the water level would surpass the maximum storage level of +398.26 meters, leading to excess water overflow through the emergency spillway at a rate of 50-200 cubic meters per second.
The rising water levels in the Ping River are expected to cause flooding in residential and agricultural areas near the Mae Ngat River in Ban Pao, Cho Lae, and Inthakil sub-districts starting around 1:00 AM on September 26, 2024.
In response, the Mae Faek-Mae Ngat Somboonchon irrigation project will closely monitor the situation and provide regular updates, urging residents living near the river to prepare by moving belongings to higher ground and parking vehicles in safe areas.
Thank you for the information from the Facebook page of the Mae Ngat Somboonchon Dam, Royal Irrigation Department.
This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.