Thailand is experiencing the worst flooding it’s had in over half a century and humans are largely to blame. Smith Dharmasaroja, the former director general of the Thai Meteorological Department, states that the main factors behind Thailand’s horrible flooding is deforestation, overbuilding in water catchment areas, the damming and diversion of natural waterways, urban sprawl in swamp areas, filling in of canals and overall bad planning by government officials. Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, is on track to be hit hard by the flooding in coming days. Around 45 miles of sandbags have been deployed along the Chao Phraya River, which runs through the middle of Bangkok. Levees and drainage canals are being built all around the city but some have caused fighting between civilians. Two villagers got into a gunfight over a dike that would protect one side of a street but would destroy the other once the floods arrived. Bangkok is in grave danger due to the fact that much of it is built in low-lying areas, the city is completely overcrowded and many of the canals meant to remove water from the city are clogged up with garbage.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44900674/ns/world_news-the_new_york_times/
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