Thailand's flood toll reaches 40 as the Chao Phraya crest moves south.

The dam's release rises to 2,500 cubic metres a second from noon, and 11 provinces down to Bangkok are warned.

AT THIS HOUR40 dead; about 2,700 km² flooded across four regionsThe Central Plains are worst hit, with 2,208 km² under water. (Handled with care.)

WHEN IT ARRIVESThe crest moves downstream, peaking at Nakhon Sawan on FridayBangkok's full drainage could take about a week.

WHAT IS ALREADY IN FORCEWarnings for 11 provinces along the Chao PhrayaFrom Uthai Thani and Chai Nat to Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi and Bangkok.

Thailand's flood has worsened for a second day. The health ministry now counts 40 dead, and about 2,700 km² is under water across four regions, most of it in the Central Plains. From noon the Chao Phraya Dam raises its release to 2,500 cubic metres a second, and the crest moves down the river toward Ayutthaya and Bangkok. (Handled with care.)

Read the full story

2,500cubic metres a second released from the Chao Phraya Dam from noon today

The flow at Nakhon Sawan peaks near 3,000 on Friday; about 2,700 km² is flooded.

THE FACTS

THE TOLL RISES TO 40The health ministry counts 40 flood deaths nationwide; the disaster-prevention department's count stood at 23 on Tuesday. (Handled with care.)R

THE RELEASE GOES UP AGAINThe Chao Phraya Dam releases 2,500 cubic metres a second from noon, with more water arriving from upstream in the coming days.R

2.6 MILLION AFFECTEDAbout 2.6 million people in 29 provinces and Bangkok are affected, some 700,000 of them in the capital.R

ALSO ON THE BOARD

AND ELSEWHERE — RED RAIN IN THE GARDUp to 400 mm is forecast in the Gard and eastern Hérault until midnight, where schools are shut.C

AND ELSEWHERE — RACHEL STRENGTHENSHurricane Rachel, at 85 mph, could become a major hurricane within a day, offshore of south-western Mexico.C

SINCE YESTERDAY — WHAT MOVED

20 systems moved since yesterday's edition · 11 held steady.

✦ APPEARED1

ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA — PACIFIC RIVERS OVER THEIR BANKS→

↑ ESCALATED9

CENTRAL THAILAND — THE FLOOD CREST MOVES DOWNSTREAMfirmer→SOUTH-EASTERN FRANCE — A RED RAIN WARNING FOR GARD AND EASTERN HÉRAULTintensified→330 MI W OF LAZARO CARDENAS — HURRICANE RACHEL STRENGTHENS RAPIDLYintensified→NIGERIA — A HIGH FLOOD RISK IN 17 STATES THROUGH SUNDAYintensified→THE RHINE AT KAUB — THE LOWEST WATER ON RECORD HOLDSfirmer→THE SOUTHERN PLAINS — A SLIGHT RISK OF DAMAGING STORM GUSTSintensified→BRAZIL — THE RED HEAT ALERT ENDS AS A COLD FRONT ARRIVESintensified→SOUTH AFRICA — STORMS IN THE NORTHfirmer→VICTORIA — A FLOOD WATCH AHEAD OF THURSDAY'S COLD FRONT↩intensified→

▽ EASED10

NEW MEXICO — A DAM OVERTOPPED ON THE RIO GRANDEweakened→THE CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC — NOLOweakened→THE IZU ISLANDS — TROPICAL STORM SURIGAE PASSES TONIGHTweakened→NORTH-WESTERN MEXICO — THE REMNANTS OF POLO FADEweakened→THE NORTH ATLANTIC — HANNA FADESweakened→UTTARAKHAND — HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY RAIN FOR TWO TO THREE DAYSweakened→BANGLADESH — THE BAY OF BENGAL DEPRESSION WEAKENS TO A LOWweakened→SRI LANKA — RED LANDSLIDE WARNINGS STAND DOWNweakened→ARGENTINA — STORM WARNINGS LOWERED TO YELLOWweakened→LIBYA — THE STORM EPISODE WINDS DOWNweakened→

HELD STEADYTHE SAUDI SOUTH-WEST — FLASH FLOODS AND HAIL IN THE HIGHLANDS · SOUTH-CENTRAL CHILE — A NEW FRONT TODAY · THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF — NO STORM IN SIGHT · THE SOUTHERN OCEANS — OFF-SEASON · BRITAIN — NO WEATHER WARNINGS IN FORCE · THE AMERICAN WEST — NO RED FLAG WARNINGS · CENTRAL NEW ZEALAND — NOT CHECKED TODAY: THE WARNINGS PAGE WAS NOT READ · CENTRAL CHINA — NOT CHECKED TODAY: THE NATIONAL FORECAST PAGES WERE NOT READ · CENTRAL AMERICA — NOT CHECKED TODAY: THE REGIONAL BOARDS WERE NOT REFRESHED · PAKISTAN — NOT CHECKED TODAY: THE NATIONAL LEDGER WAS NOT REFRESHED · SOUTHERN DALMATIA — NOT CHECKED TODAY: THE NATIONAL WARNING PAGE WAS NOT READ

WHERE IT IS — THE BOARD

heatsevererain / floodtropicalfire weathersmoke / airdroughtwinterquiet✦new↑escalated▽eased=heldsince yesterday

upstream downstream — The storm's water outlives its wind — Polo's remnants fade over Mexico while its moisture overtops a dam on the Rio Grande. The flood risk runs east through Friday..

	SYSTEM	HAZARD	PEAK	TREND	TOUCHES	CONF
1	CENTRAL THAILAND — THE FLOOD CREST MOVES DOWNSTREAM, 40 DEAD BUILDING	water	2,500 m³/s	▲ building	5	R
	Thailand's flood has worsened again: the health ministry counts 40 dead, and about 2,700 km² is under water across four regions, most of it in the Central Plains
2	SOUTH-EASTERN FRANCE — A RED RAIN WARNING FOR GARD AND EASTERN HÉRAULT PEAK	water	400 mm	● at peak	4	C
	A red rain-flood warning covers the Gard and eastern Hérault until midnight, with 200 to 300 mm widely and up to 400 mm in places, at 50 to 80 mm…
3	330 MI W OF LAZARO CARDENAS — HURRICANE RACHEL STRENGTHENS RAPIDLY BUILDING	tropical	85 mph	▲ building	1	C
	Hurricane Rachel, at 85 mph, is expected to strengthen rapidly today and could become a major hurricane within a day, offshore of south-western Mexico
4	NEW MEXICO — A DAM OVERTOPPED ON THE RIO GRANDE, EVACUATIONS ORDERED ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	6	C
	Floodwater has poured over the McLeod Dam near Garfield, and Rincon, Salem, Garfield, Hatch and Placitas are under evacuation orders along the Rio Grande
5	THE CENTRAL NORTH PACIFIC — NOLO, NOW A TROPICAL STORM, CROSSES THE ATOLLS EASING	tropical	70 mph	▼ easing	1	C
	Tropical Storm Nolo, down to 70 mph, is about 150 miles south-east of French Frigate Shoals, under a tropical storm warning from Nihoa to French Frigate Shoals
6	THE IZU ISLANDS — TROPICAL STORM SURIGAE (QUEENIE) PASSES TONIGHT EASING	tropical	35 kt	▼ easing	2	C
	Surigae, weakened to a tropical storm with 35-knot ten-minute winds and 1000 hPa, passes about 90 km south-south-west of Hachijojima early Thursday
7	THE SAUDI SOUTH-WEST — FLASH FLOODS AND HAIL IN THE HIGHLANDS ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	—	C
	Heavy rain, hail and flash floods continue across Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha and the Makkah highlands, including Taif, through Friday
8	NIGERIA — A HIGH FLOOD RISK IN 17 STATES THROUGH SUNDAY ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	2	R
	A national advisory puts 17 states at high flood risk through Sunday, driven by the Cross River and Imo River basins
9	ECUADOR AND COLOMBIA — PACIFIC RIVERS OVER THEIR BANKS ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	1	R
	Seven rivers have overflowed in Esmeraldas, Manabí and Guayas, with more intense rain overnight into Thursday
10	THE RHINE AT KAUB — THE LOWEST WATER ON RECORD HOLDS ACTIVE	drought	—	► ongoing	2	R
	The Rhine at Kaub stays near the lowest level in records going back to 1880, below the mark barge operators use to set their loads
11	THE SOUTHERN PLAINS — A SLIGHT RISK OF DAMAGING STORM GUSTS ACTIVE	severe	—	► ongoing	—	C
	Severe gusts and a brief tornado are possible from south-western Oklahoma and north-western Texas into the Edwards Plateau today, a slight risk
12	SOUTH-CENTRAL CHILE — A NEW FRONT TODAY, A STRONGER ONE FRIDAY ACTIVE	water	100-150 mm	► ongoing	1	R
	A weaker front reaches south-central Chile today, and a very active system follows on Friday, with 100 to 150 mm and gusts near 80 km/h possible
13	NORTH-WESTERN MEXICO — THE REMNANTS OF POLO FADE EASING	tropical	35 mph	▼ easing	—	C
	The remnants of Polo are dissipating over north-western Mexico at 35 mph
14	THE NORTH ATLANTIC — HANNA FADES, STILL NO HURRICANE EASING	tropical	40 mph	▼ easing	—	C
	Tropical Storm Hanna, at 40 mph far out over the central Atlantic, is expected to become a remnant low tonight, and no new system is expected for a week
15	BRAZIL — THE RED HEAT ALERT ENDS AS A COLD FRONT ARRIVES EASING	heat	40+ °C	▼ easing	—	R
	The red extreme-heat alert ends at 6 PM today, after nine states topped 40 °C
16	SOUTH AFRICA — STORMS IN THE NORTH, EXTREME FIRE DANGER IN THE WEST ACTIVE	severe	—	► ongoing	—	R
	Yellow level-2 severe storms cover Gauteng, parts of North West and Limpopo, and damaging winds hit Nelson Mandela Bay and Buffalo City
17	UTTARAKHAND — HEAVY TO VERY HEAVY RAIN FOR TWO TO THREE DAYS ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	—	C
	Heavy to very heavy rain is forecast over Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh for the next two to three days, and the Char Dham pilgrimage is suspended
18	BANGLADESH — THE BAY OF BENGAL DEPRESSION WEAKENS TO A LOW EASING	tropical	—	▼ easing	—	C
	The Bay of Bengal depression has weakened into a low over south-east Bangladesh and neighbouring Mizoram and Tripura
19	SRI LANKA — RED LANDSLIDE WARNINGS STAND DOWN EASING	water	—	▼ easing	—	R
	The red landslide warnings have been lowered, and seven districts remain under amber or lower warnings as the rain eases.
20	ARGENTINA — STORM WARNINGS LOWERED TO YELLOW EASING	severe	—	▼ easing	—	R
	Warnings are down to yellow, for storms over Misiones, Formosa and Salta and 15 to 30 cm of snow in the Mendoza cordillera
21	VICTORIA — A FLOOD WATCH AHEAD OF THURSDAY'S COLD FRONT ACTIVE	water	—	► ongoing	—	C
	A flood watch covers parts of Gippsland and north-east and central Victoria, and a cold front reaches south-eastern Australia on Thursday
22	LIBYA — THE STORM EPISODE WINDS DOWN EASING	water	—	▼ easing	—	R
	The thunderstorm episode that began on Sep 18, with 3 deaths, is winding down across the country

QUIET — THE CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF · THE SOUTHERN OCEANS · BRITAIN · THE AMERICAN WEST · NOT CHECKED TODAY — CENTRAL NEW ZEALAND · CENTRAL CHINA · CENTRAL AMERICA · PAKISTAN · SOUTHERN DALMATIA

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