Bangkok Flooding Persists as Thousands Evacuate Despite Easing Rainfall
Floodwaters remain in Bangkok’s vulnerable areas as authorities continue drainage efforts and thousands seek temporary accommodation.
BANGKOK, Sep 28: Rainfall weakened in Thailand’s capital on Sunday, but floodwaters continued to inundate several low lying neighbourhoods, prompting thousands of residents to relocate to temporary shelters. At least eight people have died across the country in the past 10 days amid severe weather.
Prolonged downpours have disrupted daily life in Bangkok, affecting road traffic and commercial activity. Several parts of the capital recorded more than 30 centimetres (11.8 inches) of accumulated rainfall, overwhelming drainage systems.
Thailand’s Meteorological Department forecast moderate to heavy showers in parts of the country on Sunday, while indicating that weather conditions could begin improving from Monday.
More than 200 emergency shelters have been established across Bangkok, with around 3,000 people staying at these facilities as of Sunday. Authorities said floodwater continued to affect 31 roads.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the decline in rainfall was helping municipal teams accelerate drainage operations. However, he warned that water levels in the capital’s major canals remained elevated, with some continuing to rise as runoff flowed in from surrounding areas.
Flooding remained particularly serious in several suburban locations situated in low-lying zones. Chadchart said numerous communities had been affected and residents in some areas were required to leave their homes.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that more than 545,000 people across 25 provinces outside Bangkok had been affected by flooding as of Sunday. The central and eastern parts of the country were among the worst hit regions.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul attributed the flooding to persistent rainfall that exceeded the capacity of drainage infrastructure in several locations. He directed authorities to take immediate steps to reduce water levels and provide assistance to affected residents.
The adverse weather also disrupted intercity transportation, with some long-distance train and bus services suspended. Airports remained operational, although travellers experienced delays in some cases.
