Bangkok declares disaster after homes flooded, roads submerged by heavy rain
Almost continuous rain since Thursday afternoon has swelled the capital's network of canals, sending murky water into buildings and alleyways.
Bangkok's residents are grappling with disastrous floods unleashed by a cascade of heavy rain over the past two days. The Thai capital's authorities declared a flood disaster on Saturday after over 300 millimetres of rainfall poured down, submerging homes, shops, and roads. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut his trip to London to return to Bangkok, and local residents expressed their shock at the unprecedented downpour that has left the city resembling the "Venice of the East".
In the face of the overwhelming floodwaters, many are wading through waist-deep water and unable to leave their homes. Bangkok's city planners have deployed all available resources, including 1,200 cubic metres per second of pumping capacity, to mitigate the disaster. Despite these efforts, some residents have expressed concerns about potential food shortages and difficulties commuting to work.
The city's drainage system is already struggling, and the situation is expected to worsen, with more rain forecasted for the coming days.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Bangkok declares disaster after homes flooded, roads submerged by heavy rain freemalaysiatoday.com
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