Bangkok flood ‘disaster’: Heavy rain causes havoc; Houses, shops and roads are waterlogged | Follow | Today’s news
Bangkok has declared a state of disaster due to heavy flooding. Almost 48 hours of heavy rain wreaked havoc across the Thai capital. Houses, shops and roads are waterlogged. Many residents are wading through deep water, AFP reported.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short his trip to London and returned home to deal with the crisis. About 300 mm of rain fell. It happened between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning.
AFP reported on one seller, Somkid Pheuk-ngam. She described how the water was up to her waist. Somkid lives near a canal in northern Bangkok. She kept her shop closed for two days. Another resident, Anutin Meechamnan, said he had never seen such continuous rain before.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has declared a state of disaster. This applies to all 50 city districts. It gives local authorities special powers for emergency situations.
According to Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, the situation has stabilized. He added that the situation would improve if the rain stopped. It may take two to three days for the flood water to be released.
Bangkok’s canal network is now completely full. Muddy water reached homes and shops everywhere. Chadchart said officials are working with surrounding provinces. They are trying to divert water from Bangkok.
Bangkok was once called the “Venice of the East”. It lies on former marshes near sea level. The gas stations are now working at full capacity. According to AFP, they take 1,200 cubic meters of water per second.
Residents were seen wading through flooded eastern districts. Some pushed motorbikes up the water. Parked cars were partially submerged on main roads. In the Bang Bua district, a woman tried to save goods from a shop.
Administrative worker Khem Amnueilaph told AFP his area was knee-deep in water. His house is elevated so he stayed safe. However, nearby older houses have already flooded heavily. He has food stocked for two to three days. He is worried about arriving at work on Monday.
Some convenience stores were already sold out by noon. Residents quickly bought basic supplies. Chadchart said 13 major roads are currently flooded. He urged people not to panic over food shortages.
Around 980 people are staying in temporary shelters. The authorities moved 36 bedridden patients to hospitals. The city also prepared a million sandbags in case of an emergency.
Heavy rainfall in September
September brought unusually heavy rainfall this year. Bangkok recorded 487 mm by 25 September. This is much higher than the usual average. A typical diameter for this period is 269 mm.
Scientists warn that such extreme weather will become more frequent. The cause is rising global temperatures from fossil fuels. Flooding was also reported in 21 Thai provinces. One death has been confirmed in this flood. More rain should continue on Sunday.
Thailand faced worse floods in 2011. These floods killed more than 500 people. They also damaged millions of homes across the country.
