The storm, which has been named “Rai”, has already caused floods in many provinces.

Prayut urged water-management agencies like the Royal Irrigation Department to adjust their plans and focus on “dealing with the current floods and storing water for next year”, Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.

People should beware severe weather conditions, move belongings to safer ground and follow weather updates, he added.

About 1,900 drinking-water tanker trucks and 1,500 pumps have been marshalled to aid residents in 30 at-risk provinces, while dams and canals in the lower North and Central areas are releasing water to expand capacity to contain rainfall and runoff.

Meanwhile, deputy Army spokeswoman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong said soldiers would continue with disaster-relief operations, build flood barriers, provide transport and assist in evacuations.

People who need help can call Army disaster mitigation centres on 02-2803977 for the First Army Region (Central), 044- 248948 or 044-245946 for the Second Army Region (Northeast), and 055-242859 or 055-258100 for the Third Army Region (North).

In the Northeast, Loei’s Dan Sai district municipality was hit yesterday by 80-centimetre floods in the worst-affected areas, while several sub-districts in Muang and Chiang Khan districts experienced a two-hour blackout the previous night.

In Chaiyaphum’s Muang district, Anubal Chaiyaphum School yesterday cancelled kindergarten classes because the school building was inundated with 70cm of floodwater. Officials were pumping the water out while teachers cleaned the classrooms.

Many areas in Sakhon Nakhon were flooded yesterday, including the low-lying Khu Panna Khmer ruins that have been under water for a week.

The Mekong River in Nong Khai rose by one metre yesterday while people in at-risk residences were told to prepare for flooding.

Kalasin’s Lam Pao Dam reported that water volume had increased by 30 million cubic metres to a total of 924 million cubic metres, while it was releasing only 3 million cubic metres of water per day to save for potential drought conditions in future.

Kalasin Governor Winai Wittayanukul warned riverside residents in five districts, including Muang and Yang Talat, to brace for flooding.

Tambon Chompoo of Phitsanulok’s Noen Maprang district was also hit by flooding yesterday that severely damaged a road to Rom Klao Moo 11 village, cutting off access to 10 households. Klong Chompoo overran its banks at 2am, prompting canal-side residents to evacuate to a temple, while Ban Puak Ngam School was temporarily closed.

Runoffs from a forest yesterday hit Tambon Ban Luang in Chiang Mai‘s Chom Thong district, forcing residents to evacuate to higher ground, while Doi Inthanon National Park head Pornthep Chareonseubsakul ordered precautionary closures of the Mae Klang and Mae Ya waterfalls.

A 100-year-old pine tree with 50cm trunk radius was hit by the storm and fell on two Naga statues on the main steps leading to Doi Suthep Temple in Muang Chiang Mai at 3am yesterday.

In Phrae’s Long district, homes and Phai Lom Temple were flooded, forcing residents and monks to move to higher ground at 1.45am.

In Lamphun’s Pa Sang district, Pha Tang Dam collapsed yesterday, sending a deluge into the Mae Tha River as officials monitored downstream areas for flooding.