Bang Lang Dam releases fish bounty
The Pattani Municipal Council had issued a warning to locals to be prepared because releasing the water from the dam in Bannang Sata would cause the river to burst its banks and that flooding is likely in low areas today. BERNAMA file pic
YALA:Crowds started gathering on the Pattani riverbank in Yala district for a “fish festival” after local authorities announced they would be releasing water from Bang Lang Dam to maintain a safe volume.
The local authority warned that it would flood low-lying areas, but locals saw it as an opportunity to catch fish like kelah (mahseer) and patin (shark catfish).
Suited up with life jackets, they waited in trees and on the bank’s high points to dive into the water to catch the fish by hand.
The surging river did not stop the people from trying to catch the prized fish, with one person reportedly managing to grab a 180kg shark catfish on Thursday.
A local told Bernama that he and his two friends caught four fish and that it was a “monsoon season blessing”.
The Pattani Municipal Council had issued a warning to locals to be prepared because releasing the water from the dam in Bannang Sata would cause the river to burst its banks and that “flooding is likely in low areas today (Saturday)”.
It added in a statement that it was a necessary measure to prevent structural damage to the dam after water rose to a dangerous level following heavy rain since Jan 4.
-- BERNAMA
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