Chiang Mai University flooded; alert remains

CHIANG MAI – Runoff from Doi Suthep caused flooding at Chiang Mai University on Friday morning, worsening the city’s flood situation, although the Ping River’s water level remained stable.
Social media posts showed floodwaters overwhelming the campus located at the foot of forested Doi Suthep mountain.
Kuakul Manasamphansakul, the provincial irrigation chief, said that rain on Doi Suthep had led to increased runoff.
The university in Muang district closed several inundated roads and urged staff and students in affected areas to move vehicles to higher ground, adding that campus access remained unhindered.
Chiang Mai University is the latest area hit by floods that have plagued the city since Tuesday, with recent rainfall contributing to the situation despite the campus’s distance from the Ping River.
The river measured 4.23 metres deep at Naowarat Bridge at 9am, a slight increase from 4.19m two hours earlier.
Chiang Mai Municipality has issued a red flag, as several downtown areas, including the railway station, remain inundated. It has also put up sandbags to reinforce the riverbanks.
The irrigation office in the northern province estimated about 3 million cubic metres of floodwater in the city. Mr Kuakul said it will take about two days to drain all the water out.
Chiang Mai airport is still open. It advises travellers to go to the airport via Highway 11, known as the Super Highway, and Nimmanhaemin Road.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is scheduled to visit Chiang Rai on Friday and Chiang Mai on Saturday for flood inspections, according to her aide Jirayu Huangsub.