Flooding in Thailand

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/world/asia/22thai.html?_r=1&ref=world

 

Thailand has encountered some of its worst flooding in quite some time and it seems to have caught their fairly efficient government off guard.  There are seventeen people reported dead and many people were left stranded for days without any government aid and damage has been estimated at US$650,000,000.  More distressing is that 28 of Thailand's 77 provinces have been affected by the flooding including areas around the capital of Bangkok.  The flooding is not over yet however as numerous reservoirs are over capacity and being pumped while flood waters are also racing to the main river in Thailand which will lead to flooding else where, in turn an alert has been put out for people along the river regions; something the government did right in this case.  Near Bangkok the Pasak Jolsait dam is beyond capacity as well and the gates have been opened so the barrier does not collapse, a resident noted that if anymore water rushed in it would mess with the integrity of the structure and much larger problems could ensue.  What is sad is that this is another case of forgotten people and delayed aid and some of the 17 deaths may have been prevented if aid and warnings were put out earlier. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/world/asia/22thai.html?_r=1&ref=world