Bangkok authorities on Saturday declared a flood disaster across all 50 districts of Thailand’s capital after almost 48 hours of heavy rain left roads submerged, canals overflowing and residents in several neighbourhoods wading through deep floodwater.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the flooding situation had stabilised, but warned that it could take another two to three days for the water to drain if there was no further heavy rainfall.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also cut short his trip to London and is returning to Thailand as the capital grapples with widespread flooding.
Chadchart said almost 300 millimetres of rain had fallen in Bangkok since Thursday afternoon, overwhelming the city’s drainage system and filling its extensive network of canals. Floodwater has entered homes, shops, restaurants and streets across several neighbourhoods, AFP reported.
All 50 Bangkok districts declared disaster areas
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) expanded the disaster declaration to all 50 districts on Saturday, after three districts, Nong Chok, Suan Luang and Khan Na Yao, were initially designated disaster areas on Friday.
The move allows the BMA, other government agencies and local administrations to take special measures and respond more quickly to the flooding.
Around 980 people were staying in temporary shelters, while 36 bedridden residents had been transferred to hospitals, according to Bangkok authorities.
Authorities said eastern Bangkok was among the worst-affected areas, particularly communities near canals. At least 13 roads were flooded, while residents were advised to move vehicles, valuables and other belongings to higher ground.
The BMA said it had prepared one million sandbags for distribution and opened temporary shelters in schools. A cell-broadcast alert was also sent to residents warning that canal water levels had reached critical levels.
Pumping stations operating at full capacity
Bangkok’s canals have been pushed to capacity after almost continuous rainfall since Thursday afternoon. The city’s pumping stations were operating at full capacity, with combined pumping reaching around 1,200 cubic metres per second.
Municipal workers were also clearing rubbish and other material from drainage points to help water flow out of affected areas, while authorities coordinated with neighbouring provinces to divert and drain excess water.
Chadchart warned that draining the accumulated water would take time.
“If the rain stops, it is expected that it will take 2-3 days to drain the floodwater,” he said in an update broadcast on social media.
The governor urged people living near canals to remain cautious and advised bedridden patients dependent on life-saving medical equipment to consider temporarily staying in hospitals.
Bangkok records wetter-than-usual September
Bangkok recorded 487 millimetres of rain between September 1 and 25, compared with an average of nearly 269 millimetres during the same period from 1991 to 2020, according to figures from the BMA Drainage and Sewerage Department.
September is normally the peak of Bangkok’s rainy season, but rainfall this month has been significantly higher than usual.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department said an active low-pressure cell over the lower Central region, including Bangkok and nearby areas, was expected to bring heavy to very heavy rain through September 27. The department warned that accumulated rainfall could cause flash floods and overflowing waterways.
Beyond Bangkok, more than 84,000 people across 21 provinces had been affected by flooding as of Saturday, according to figures cited in local reports
The flooding has also disrupted travel, with authorities advising passengers using Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports to allow extra time because of flooded roads and poor weather.
Authorities are continuing to monitor rainfall and water levels as further heavy rain remains forecast through Sunday.
Source: Moneycontrol