14-8-2023 (BANGKOK) The Mekong River in the northeastern border province of Nakhon Phanom has been experiencing a decrease in water levels, allowing for faster drainage of flooded rice fields, local authorities reported on Monday.
Officials stated that the river’s level has been receding at a rate of 10-20 centimeters per day. As of Monday morning, the water level was measured at 10.70 meters deep, which is 1.30 meters below the spilling point of 12 meters, according to irrigation officials.
Despite the decline of the Mekong River, three major tributaries – the Nam Oon, Nam Songkhram, and Huay Bang Ko rivers – still had water levels 20-30% higher than their normal capacities.
The provincial irrigation office has been working diligently to drain as much water as possible from nearly 10,000 rai (approximately 4,000 acres) of flooded rice fields. Initially, it was estimated that around 5,000 rai of the flooded rice crop would be damaged.
