A severe flood emergency has been announced in Bangkok following a relentless 48-hour downpour that has left many roads submerged in the Thai capital.
Authorities are advising residents to remain indoors, especially those living near the extensive canal system, urging them to relocate valuables to higher floors as a precaution.
While thunderstorms are typical during this season in Thailand, the recent extreme weather has overwhelmed the city’s drainage infrastructure, leading to significant traffic disruptions in an already congested metropolis. Additional rainfall is anticipated to persist into Sunday, heightening concerns that more canals could overflow.
Residents Share Their Experiences
Somkid Pheuk-ngam, a 67-year-old resident near a canal in northern Bangkok, expressed her distress to AFP, stating, “The water keeps coming in. It’s hard to go out now; it’s at my waist level. I cannot go anywhere. I have been closing my shop for two days now.”
She noted that the flooding in the city seems more severe than the catastrophic events of 2011, when widespread flooding across Thailand resulted in hundreds of fatalities over a three-month period.
As of now, no deaths have been reported due to the current flooding situation in Bangkok.
Forecast and Government Response
The Thai Meteorological Service predicts that heavy rains will continue throughout the week, although the low-pressure system responsible for the recent rainfall is likely to drift towards central Thailand.
In response to the flooding, all 50 districts of Bangkok have been designated as emergency zones. Chadchart Sittipunt, the governor of Bangkok, noted that the eastern parts of the city have been particularly affected, saying, “The rain keeps falling, and we are doing our best. We are trying to pump the water out, but the canals are full. Those living near canals are at the highest risk, as every canal is now filled to capacity.”
