First, I would like to thank you – my blog readers, visitors and subscribers, as well as our Facebook Community Members – Thank YOU for your Prayers and concerns about Thailand’s worst floods in half a century – heavy rains in here during September and October have led to extreme flooding that has killed nearly 400 people and displacing 110,000 more, 2.2 million people got affected, which caused this nation’s most expensive natural disaster in history.
Until now, the time I write this post, the floods have submerged 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) of land, an area roughly the size of Kuwait or Swaziland, turning entire cities into urban reservoirs.
The floods wiped out a quarter of the main rice crop in the world’s biggest exporter. It forced Thailand, the world second-largest exporter of computer hard drives and Southeast Asia’s biggest auto production hub to rise it global prices of computer hard drives, and caused delays in global auto production after destroying industrial estates.
At this moment, Bangkok, which accounts for 41 percent of Thailand’s $319 billion economy, has been at risk from run-off water from the north coinciding with the high tide on the Chao Phraya, already at a record high level.
Alhamdulillah (thanks God), because I am living in the inner city of Bangkok, the country’s financial heart, my area up-to-now is still dry, so I am safe and fine, but I can feel the air is intense. I really wish those bottles of drinking water (can’t buy anymore because no supply), some eggs, dry food, instant noodles and oak that I bought can get me overcome this flood crisis, inshaAllah (God willing).
But the city’s suburbs faced a growing crisis.
I don’t know how long my area’s dry can last, as I know the city remained in peril, as high tides along the gulf were expected to crest again late today, and in the next two days, threatening to obstruct the flood runoff from the north. The government also is worried major barriers and dikes could break, the city’s flood defenses are still under test.
Today, 29th Oct 2011, Bangkok’s main waterway, the Chao Phraya River has overflowed its banks in some areas during unusually high tides, few places like Chinatown, streets around Bangkok’s Grand Palace and areas that usually thronged with tourists has also got hit by the floods.
And the local authorities expect Thonburi, a district on the west bank of the Chao Phraya, to be inundated within 3 days. Thai PM Yingluck said levels should stay high due to a lack of canals. Seventeen roads across Bangkok are already closed.
Densely populated Pingklao, packed with restaurants and shops in Thonburi close to the river was under waist-high water. Some residents waded through the floods, hauling televisions and furniture on their backs to higher ground.
Buildings across Bangkok have been sand-bagged for protection. Many residents and foreigners have fled the city in the past few days, or stocked up on water, food, boots, life jackets and even boats.
In Bangkok, prices of eggs have quadrupled as jittery residents stockpile staples, but the government said flood victims would have enough bottled drinking water, dairy products and meats.
Cash was also in heavy demand, the Bank of Thailand has repeated that there is enough money circulating to meet demand for three months following a crush of withdrawals, so far, there are nearly 400 bank branches have closed across the country due to the floods.
Well, everything has a start and end, 3 months of relentless monsoon rains have caused the worst flooding in Thailand in more than half a century, triggering a national crisis.
The flood has been going on for so long, now it reached to its last critical stage. Now, Bangkok is in the way — surrounded by behemoth pools of water flowing around and through the city via a complex network of canals and rivers.
I am truly feel sorry for the people of Thailand who are facing massive floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains.
If you are happened to read this post, since it is a natural phenomenon, please pray for Thailand and the people here so that the situation will not escalate into disastrous proportions in the days to come.
May Allah helps Thailand and let this flood crisis get over soon, and may your country to continue to enjoy peace, prosperity, political stability and be free from natural disasters, ameen.
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