Tourist rafts, hundreds of fish cages hit Mae Klong dam

KANCHANABURI - A salvage operation was under way on Wednesday after strong currents on the storm-swollen Mae Klong river sent several tourist rafts and hundreds of fish cages smashing into the Mae Klong dam in Tha Muang district.

Kanchanaburi governor Warittha Sa-nguansermsri was at the scene in the early hours of Wednesday morning as crews worked to prevent the debris of the rafts and fish cages from damaging the gates of the dam.

At least five empty rafts and 350 fish cages struck the dam. Officials closed the four gates that were hit and opened four other gates wider to maintain the discharge rate to handle high volumes from two upstream dams in Kanchanaburi.

Workers tried to secure the rafts and fish cages and plan the retrieval of their wrecks. Parts of the damaged rafts and fish cages flowed through the gates of the dam. The structure of the dam remained intact, officials said.

Irrigation officials said they have been trying to cap the discharge rate of the Mae Klong dam at 2,300 to 2,400 cubic metres per second to limit flood damage in downstream locations along the river.

Heavy rain has increased intakes into the larger Srinagarindra and Vajiralongkorn dams upstream in Sri Sawat and Thong Phaphum districts. Both dams had to discharge water as a result.

Irrigation officials raised the discharge rate of the Mae Klong dam from 2,200 cu m/sec on Tuesday to 2,400 cu m/sec on Wednesday morning, and the higher discharge caused rafts and fish cages to come loose from their moorings.

Workers try to secure fish cages and floats at the dam site on Tuesday night. (Photos: Piyarach Chongcharoen)

Wrecked parts of fish cages rest near the gates of the Mae Klong dam in Kanchanaburi.