Authorities in Bangkok, Thailand, have declared the capital a flood disaster zone after nearly two days of relentless rainfall submerged homes, businesses and major roads, forcing residents to wade through deep floodwaters.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short his trip to London and headed back to Thailand after officials reported that almost 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of rain had fallen between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.
“The water keeps coming in. It’s hard to go out now. It’s like at my waist level now,” said Somkid Pheuk-ngam, 67, a vendor living near a canal north of central Bangkok.
“I cannot go anywhere. I have been closing my shop for two days now,” she told AFP.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared a disaster across all 50 districts of the city, giving local authorities and organisations additional powers to respond to the flooding.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the situation had “stabilised” on Saturday afternoon, but warned that the floodwaters would take time to recede.
“If more rainwater doesn’t fall in the area, it will be solved,” he said, adding, “If the rain stops, it is expected that it will take two to three days to drain the floodwater.”
The persistent rainfall has caused Bangkok’s canals to overflow, sending muddy water into residential areas, restaurants, shops and narrow streets.
“Our problem is that the canals are full,” Chadchart said.
“We are cooperating with nearby provinces and try to drain water out through other sides, minimising the amount that flows into Bangkok.”
The city’s pumping stations were operating at full capacity, with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration saying they were collectively pumping about 1,200 cubic metres of water per second.
Residents in several eastern districts were seen wading through floodwaters or pushing motorcycles, while parked vehicles were partially submerged along a major road.
In Bang Bua district, floodwater reached the thighs of a woman attempting to rescue goods from her shop. In Suan Luang, eastern Bangkok, office worker Khem Amnueilaph said the water had risen above knee level in his neighbourhood.
“My house is new so it was elevated, but some old houses near by the water have already flooded,” the 36-year-old said.
“I have food in my stock for two to three days, but I may have to wade through the floodwater for food later,” he said, adding: “I have no idea how to get to work on Monday.”
The flooding also triggered a rush for essential supplies, with some convenience stores reporting empty shelves as residents stocked up on food and other necessities.
Chadchart said at least 13 major roads had been affected by flooding and appealed to residents not to panic over possible food shortages. “The public don’t have to be panicked,” he said.
About 980 people had been moved into temporary shelters, while 36 bedridden residents were transferred to hospitals, according to the authorities.
The city has also prepared one million sandbags as part of its flood response.
Bangkok has recorded significantly more rainfall than usual this month.
From September 1 to 25, the capital received 487mm of rain, compared with an average of nearly 269mm recorded over the same period between 1991 and 2020.
Flooding was also reported in 21 provinces across Thailand on Saturday, with one death recorded by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. More rainfall was forecast through Sunday.
Thailand experienced devastating floods in 2011, when widespread flooding killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes.
Scientists have warned that extreme weather events are expected to become more intense and frequent as global temperatures rise due to fossil fuel emissions.
