Thai capital Bangkok declares flood disaster after heavy rain leave canals full, roads submerged

Bangkok officials declared a flood disaster across the Thai capital on Saturday following nearly two days of heavy rainfall that left canals overflowing, roads submerged and residents knee-deep in water. Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged people to remain indoors as 300 millimeters of rain fell since Thursday, prompting Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul to cut short a trip to London.

Residents described the situation as dire, with water reaching waist-high or higher. Somkid Pheuk-ngam, a 67-year-old vendor near a canal, said the flooding had worsened compared to the 2011 disaster that claimed over 500 lives and damaged millions of homes. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared a disaster for all 50 districts, empowering local organizations to take action.

Numerous major roads were flooded, and residents were forced to navigate knee- or thigh-high water in various neighborhoods. Authorities distributed one million sandbags and opened temporary shelters in schools to help mitigate the impact. Bangkok's pumping stations were operating at full capacity, pumping 1,200 cubic meters of water per second, while water levels began to stabilize.

The city, built on former marshland and at a height of 1.5 meters above sea level, is particularly vulnerable to flooding. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul advised bedridden patients relying on life-saving equipment to consider temporary hospital stays and urged residents to move their vehicles to higher ground. The public transport authority offered free access to MRT train "park and ride" carparks for vehicle storage until October 2.

Despite the ongoing deluges, Bangkok has experienced wetter-than-usual conditions this rainy season. September has seen 487 millimeters of rain, compared to the typical 269 millimeters between September 1-25 from 1991-2020. Experts warn that as the planet continues to warm due to fossil fuel emissions, extreme weather events like these will become more frequent and intense.