Canals full, roads submerged as Bangkok declares flood disaster

Bangkok's authorities declared a flood disaster across the Thai capital on Saturday following nearly 48 hours of heavy rain. The canals were filled to the brim, roads submerged, and residents knee-deep in water. Almost 300 millimetres of rain had fallen since Thursday afternoon, prompting the governor to urge people to stay indoors.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short a trip to London to return home. One resident, Somkid Pheuk-ngam, 67, described the water level as being at his waist. Vehicles were stranded in floodwaters along Phetchaburi Road in Bangkok. Many residents had closed their shops for two days, with some reporting that this flood was worse than the 2011 disaster which caused widespread damage and claimed over 500 lives.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared a disaster for all 50 districts of the city, providing local organizations with special powers to act. The rain has swelled the city's network of canals, sending murky water into homes, restaurants, shops, and alleyways, forcing residents to wade through knee- or thigh-high water.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had prepared one million sandbags for distribution and opened several temporary shelters in schools. The east of the city was most impacted, and the rain is expected to continue. Once considered the "Venice of the East," Bangkok is built on former marshland and sits about 1.5 meters above sea level, making it vulnerable to flooding.