Ayutthaya has launched a disaster relief mission after the overflowing Noi River destroyed a road and left three districts flooded on Monday night.
A section of embankment road along the Jao Jed-Bang Yihon canal in Sena district collapsed as a torrent of floodwater flowed into Sena, Bang Sai and Lad Bua Luang districts.
The strong current eroded soil around a large underground drainage pipe, causing the road to collapse, said Nopporn Lorliam, head of Moo 7 village in Tambon Rang Jorake where the road is located.
Fortunately, villagers monitoring the situation managed to drive their vehicles to safety before the road collapsed, the chief said.
Provincial Electricity Authority workers rushed to cut electricity to power poles in flooded areas to protect residents from electrocution.
Nopporn said the water flooded parts of tambons Rang Jorake, Bang Pho and Sena in Sena district and Jao Jed and other tambons in Bang Sai and Lad Bua Luang districts.
The flood also entered Sena Hospital, which is located near the canal.
On Tuesday, Ayutthaya governor Niwat Rungsakhon led a rescue team comprised of Sena district chief Amornrat Kruengkrai, local Royal Irrigation Department (RID) heavy machinery chief Anek Kansangworn and other officials.
Niwat said his administration was working with the RID to relieve the crisis as quickly as possible. He said floodwater was gushing into the canal from the river at a rate of 90 cubic meters per second.
On Sunday, authorities reported that 14 of Ayutthaya’s 16 districts remain flooded.
Source: The Nation