Local leaders in Pak Chom and Chiang Khan districts are warning local people of the need to evacuate.

“Locals are being informed of imminent flooding. We have prepared safe places for them,” Loei Governor Viroj Jivarungsan said yesterday.

He said rescue workers were on standby around the clock to ensure timely rescue operations. Viroj said low-lying areas in the two districts looked set to face floods today. Restaurants and food stalls along the Mekong, in particular, were at risk.

Pak Chom district chief Saran Saksikreunet said water currents in the Mekong River were now fierce.

“The rough water has already sunk eight floating restaurant rafts. It has also swept two others away,” he said.

Risk to roads

The water level was rising fast, up by 2.19 metres yesterday. If it lifted another 1.5 metres, roads would be flooded too.

“We are now in the process of preparing the evacuation of people and livestock,” the Pak Chom chief said.

Under the influence of storm Dianmu, downpours have deluged Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

Run-off from Laos was heading toward Loei, a border province by the Mekong.

Floods have already ravaged many parts of Laos. On Saturday, they also prompted domestic flight cancellations in Vietnam.

Viroj said the storm was now shifting towards Bangladesh and rainfall in Loei should ease soon.

“We now expect rain or rainstorms to cover just 40 per cent of the province’s area,” he said.