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City rolls out storm surge precautions
Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayothin said on Monday that he had held discussions with the directors of 15 district offices located in Thonburi, the urban area located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, regarding precautionary measures in case of a 'storm surge'.
A storm surge, or tidal surge is an offshore rise in water level created when sea water is pushed towards the shore by winds generated by a low-pressure weather system – typically a tropical cyclone.
Apirak said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) had categorized high-risk areas into red and orange zones, depending on the perceived level of threat. The red zone begins from the coastal area to the south of the city through to the Sanam Chai canal, some 10-15 kilometers inland. The orange zone includes parts of the districts of Bang Khun Thien, Thung Kuru, Rajaburana, and Jomthong, located alongside Rama II Road.
He said directors at district level had been told to tell people residing in high-risk areas about storm surges and instruct them to prepare for evacuation should one take place. He said the Meteorological Department could predict a storm surge four to six days in advance, allowing plenty of time for district offices to make necessary preparations.
The public has become increasingly alarmed about the possibility of storm surges after Smith Thammasaroj, former chief of the Meteorological Department, announced recently that there was a possibility that a storm surge could potentially hit Bangkok and its environs. Smith predicted a tsunami would hit Thailand's coastal provinces several years before the December 26, 2004 tsunami struck. - Manager Online.
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