Nakhon ratchasima: Nakhon Ratchasima is experiencing a severe drought, causing hardship for the local residents. The Phimai Dam has stopped supplying water, leading villagers to worry about their rice crops and livestock.
According to Thai News Agency, the drought situation at Phimai Dam, part of the Thung Samrit Irrigation and Maintenance Project in Phimai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, has shown a significant drop in water levels. The water level above the dam is 151.24 meters compared to the reservoir's maximum storage height of 152 meters, resulting in only 2.84 million cubic meters of water stored above the dam.
With the water level downstream of the dam at 147.53 meters, the hot weather has caused a rapid drop in the Mun River's water level. Consequently, dam authorities have ceased water releases and shut the sluice gates at Lam Nam Khem, Lam Satae, Thammachak Phatthana, and Pak Khlong Sai Yai to conserve water for domestic use until the rainy season. This has led to the Mun River drying up, exposing sandbars, and allowing grass and weeds to grow in the riverbed.
Livestock farmers are facing challenges due to the drought, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius. The scarcity of fresh grass forces villagers to feed their cattle and buffaloes with dry grass and rice stubble, resulting in malnutrition and emaciation. Cows seek shade under trees as the ground cracks under the intense heat.
The area most affected lies downstream from the Phimai Dam. Farmers are concerned about their rice crops, which are at risk of drying up before bearing grain. Despite being low-lying paddies, the extreme daytime heat causes the water pumped into the fields to evaporate quickly. Natural waterways and irrigation canals are running low, and recent summer storms have brought wind but little rain. Without sufficient rain to replenish the water, this rice crop cycle is unlikely to survive.