Climate · Thailand
Bangkok declares flood disaster after two days of heavy rain
All 50 districts were designated flood disaster areas as roads and cars were submerged. More rain was forecast, while officials worked to drain water from full canals.
Bangkok was declared a flood disaster area on Sept 26 after almost 48 hours of rain submerged roads and vehicles. All 50 districts were covered, with eastern Bangkok hit hardest. Parts of the capital received more than 30 centimetres of rain in 48 hours, and officials said full canals were hindering efforts to pump water away.
Residents near canals were advised to move belongings higher, while more than 200 shelters accommodated about 4,200 people, ABC Australia reported. No casualties had been reported in Bangkok. Suvarnabhumi airport was operating normally, though delays were possible. Flooding had reached over 84,000 residents across 21 provinces, according to Thai authorities, and forecasters expected heavy rain through Sunday.
Bangkok declared all 50 districts flood disaster areas after two days of heavy rain. Officials opened shelters and continued pumping water as forecasters warned of further downpours.
- More than 30 centimetres fell in parts of Bangkok.
- Eastern districts were the most heavily affected.
- Full canals complicated efforts to drain floodwater.
- About 4,200 people entered more than 200 shelters.
- Heavy rain was forecast through Sunday.
What's new
- All 50 Bangkok districts were declared flood disaster areas. [s1, s3]
- More than 200 shelters received about 4,200 people. [s3]
- Heavy rain was forecast to continue into Sunday. [s2, s4]
- Suvarnabhumi airport continued operating normally. [s3]
Bangkok was declared a flood disaster area on Sept 26 after almost 48 hours of heavy rain submerged roads and cars across the Thai capital, with the eastern districts hit hardest and further rainfall forecast into Sunday. All 50 districts were covered by the declaration, according to reports citing city authorities.1234
Canals full as officials pump water
Parts of Bangkok received more than 30 centimetres of rain in 48 hours. The downpour overwhelmed the city’s drainage system, while canals overflowed and left roads under water. Residents were asked to avoid unnecessary travel, and the BBC reported that people had been urged to remain at home.1345
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the eastern part of the city had suffered the greatest impact. He said officials were pumping out floodwater but canals were already full, identifying communities beside waterways as the areas facing the greatest risk.12
Chadchart said by Saturday afternoon that conditions had “stabilized”. According to Deutsche Welle, he said drainage could take two to three days if the rain stopped. That estimate remained dependent on no further rainfall, even as forecasters expected more rain.24
Residents moved into shelters
An emergency notice instructed residents near canals to place their belongings above the expected water level. ABC Australia reported that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration designated schools as temporary accommodation, while the army was establishing shelters and field kitchens as part of relief operations.23
More than 200 shelters were established across Bangkok and about 4,200 people had moved into them, according to ABC Australia. Chadchart also urged bedridden patients who depend on life-saving medical equipment to consider temporarily staying in hospital, Deutsche Welle reported.23
Somkid Pheuk-ngam, a 67-year-old vendor living near a canal north of central Bangkok, told AFP that water had reached roughly waist height and that she had kept her shop closed for two days. She said the latest flooding appeared worse than the nationwide floods of 2011.12
No casualties from the latest flooding had been reported in Bangkok as of Sept 26, according to the BBC. At Suvarnabhumi airport, operations continued normally, although travellers were advised to allow additional time and air traffic authorities said some flights could be delayed.13
Flooding extends beyond the capital
The effects were not confined to Bangkok. As of Saturday, flooding had affected over 84,000 residents in 21 provinces, Thai authorities reported, with the central region hit especially hard.2
Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned that heavy rain would continue across most of the country through Sunday. The department attributed the conditions to a strong low-pressure system over the central region that was strengthening monsoon conditions.2
The disruption has prompted comparisons with Thailand’s 2011 floods. According to Deutsche Welle, the earlier disaster caused over 500 deaths and wrecked homes by the millions; the BBC reported that the inundation continued for three months. No comparable toll has been reported from the current Bangkok flooding.12
Why it matters
The flooding has affected Thailand’s capital as well as more than 84,000 people across 21 provinces, while forecasts indicated that heavy rain would continue. For European readers with travel plans, Suvarnabhumi airport was operating normally, but passengers were advised to allow extra time and warned of possible flight delays.23
How the story unfolded
The story's events over time. Click a person, place or related story.
What we know
- More than 30 centimetres of rain fell in parts of Bangkok over 48 hours. [s4, s5]
- Flooding submerged roads and vehicles, with eastern Bangkok hit hardest. [s1, s2, s3, s4]
- Residents near canals were advised to move possessions to higher ground. [s2, s3]
- Heavy rain was forecast to continue into Sunday. [s2, s4]
What we don't know yet
- The dossier does not establish when all floodwater will be cleared; the governor’s two-to-three-day estimate depended on rain stopping. [s2]
- The full extent of damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure has not been stated in the sources.
- No comprehensive evacuation total beyond the approximately 4,200 shelter occupants reported by ABC Australia is available. [s3]
Timeline
- Sep 26Bangkok was declared a flood disaster area after heavy rain inundated much of the city.345
- within 48 hoursParts of Bangkok received more than 30 centimetres of rain.45
- Sep 26All 50 districts were designated flood disaster areas, and residents were advised to avoid unnecessary travel.13
- Sep 26More than 200 shelters were reported open, with about 4,200 people accommodated.3
- Sep 26Thailand’s Meteorological Department warned that heavy rain would persist across most of the country through Sunday.2
- 2011Nationwide flooding resulted in over 500 deaths and caused damage to several million homes.2
Quotes
The risk areas are those who live near canals. Every canal is now filled,
I cannot go anywhere. I have been closing my shop for two days now,
In all the years I’ve lived here I’ve never seen flooding this bad
Version history
- version 1 · 27 September at 06:09