One of the key arteries linking the low-lying northeastern regions to the Eastern parts of Thailand, Highway 304, was forced to close down on an unexpectedly wet Thursday morning. The direct cause of this unexpected occurrence was a deluge of floodwater, a consequence of incessant rainfall in recent days. This led to the immediate closure of the highway’s twin tunnels which traverse a significant wildlife corridor in the Nadi district located in the Prachin Buri province.
The decision to close down the highway and its twin tunnels was made by Sonthaya Fueangcharas, the Assistant District Chief. At around 9:15 am, he observed the tunnels had been submerged in 30-50 centimetres of floodwater stretching across a length of 80 metres. Similarly, Highway 304 was buried under an even deeper layer of water, reaching up to 40-50 centimetres. Owing to these conditions, the Nadi-Nakhon Ratchasima section of the highway alongside the tunnels had to be shut down.
The inundation levels in the tunnels reached their peak towards the late hours of Thursday morning, marking an alarming water depth of approximately 1.5 metres. Fortunately, the situation gradually improved as the day wore on. By 1:30 pm, a marked reduction in water intensity was observed, receding to depths of 20-30cm. Local officials felt it safe enough to reopen the tunnels at this point, yet remained on site to continue monitoring the situation, given its instability.
Additional precautionary steps were also undertaken, which included shutting down the power supply in the tunnels. Mr. Sonthaya underscored the importance of this step to avoid potentially dangerous short circuits that could arise from the current flooding scenario.
The twin tunnels of Highway 304, each stretching 250 metres long, are located beneath a key wildlife corridor. This natural green route serves as the connecting link between two world-renowned nature reserves – Khao Yai and Thap Lan national parks; both declared as World Heritage Sites.
Persistent heavy rains that lasted over several days were pinpointed as the chief reason for the flooding, both in the twin tunnels and other regions within the district of Nadi. A similar negative impact was seen on local canals too, leading to their overflow. This led to further widespread waterlogging across five villages in tambon Buphram within the Nadi district. Another casualty of this unfortunate weather situation was Ban Thap Lan school in the district, which was forced to remain shut on Thursday due to the extensive flooding.
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