Thailand floods kill eight, affect more than 580k homes as Bangkok battles rising waters

BANGKOK, Sept 28 — Eight fatalities have occurred in Thailand's flooding since September 16, although none occurred in the capital city of Bangkok, the government announced today. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported that the eight deaths were concentrated in eastern provinces, specifically Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi, and Saraburi.

The disaster prevention agency did not provide additional information on the victims. Excluding Bangkok, over 500,000 households and 1.7 million individuals in 27 provinces have been impacted by the flooding. In the capital, 52,000 households have been affected, and the city declared a disaster on Saturday due to nearly 48 hours of heavy rainfall that caused canals to overflow and roads to flood.

No deaths have been officially confirmed in Bangkok, and the disaster prevention agency stated that water levels have stabilized. However, AFP journalists witnessed heavy rain and flooding in at least one eastern neighborhood, with residents navigating through waist-high waters. Schools have been closed, and authorities have advised working from home, a directive that many complied with, leading to quieter streets and reduced public transportation use on Monday morning.

Ekkapob Pianpises, a government spokesman, confirmed that certain areas in Bangkok were still facing high water levels during a press conference. Drainage systems had sufficiently reduced water levels, enabling more people to travel. While Thailand is accustomed to heavy rainfall, residents noted this year's flooding as worse than previous years, as September marks the peak of the rainy season.