BANGKOK, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Flooding caused by heavy rains has killed six people and wreaked havoc to houses, farms, roads and bridges in a number of provinces of Thailand this month, said a senior government official on Thursday.
Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation director general Chayaphol Thitisak said six villagers were reported to have been killed due to flooding whereas 2,180 villages in 56 districts in 15 central, northern and northeastern provinces have been damaged by flooding from Oct. 10 to Thursday.
An estimated 98,421 households or 248,474 villagers have become flood victims following the heavy rains and a recent release of excessive water from Chao Phraya dam, about 190 km north of Bangkok, to low-lying areas in the Chao Phraya River basin, according to the department's director general.
The flooded provinces included Tak, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan and Phetchabun in Thailand's lower northern region, Nong Bua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin and Roi Et in the northeastern region and Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya and Lop Buri in the central region.
The flood victims have been evacuated and given relief items by authorities while pumps have been installed to urgently drain off the floodwater from the farms and low-lying areas.
