Bangkok authorities have declared a disaster zone across all 50 districts of the city after three consecutive days of rainfall caused significant flooding. The disaster designation, which grants local organizations the authority to take action, was announced on Saturday by Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, who reported that nearly 300mm (11.8 inches) of rain had fallen since Thursday afternoon.
The continuous rain has inundated roads and canals, leading to water entering many homes and stores. Photos and videos from the area show major roads submerged and vehicles abandoned as drivers were unable to navigate through the rising water.
Governor Chadchart indicated that the eastern part of the city was most affected and warned that additional rain was expected on Saturday. He stated that flooding should diminish once the rain stops, as city officials are working to drain the floodwaters as quickly as possible. "The rain keeps falling and we are doing our best. We are trying to pump the water out, but the water in canals are full," he said on social media. "The risk areas are those who live near canals. Every canal is now filled."
Later on Saturday, the government reported that the flooding situation had "stabilised," but it would still take two to three days for the water to drain, provided no further rain occurs. "If more rainwater doesn’t fall in the area, it will be solved," he added.
Chadchart also advised residents to relocate their vehicles to higher ground, as Bangkok’s public transport authority is offering free access to MRT train "park and ride" car parks until October 2.
Reporting from a flooded street in Bangkok, Al Jazeera’s Tony Cheng noted that the city is accustomed to heavy rain during the monsoon season, but the persistent rainfall has raised concerns among residents. "What usually happens is we get heavy downpours for a couple of hours, then you’ll see the street often flooded but it would flow away into the drains quickly, and it would only happen in isolated areas too," he explained. "What’s happening here is … happening all across the city. This is not a flash flood; this is persistent heavy rain since Thursday evening, and it shows no sign of letting up."
Somkid Pheuk-ngam, 67, a vendor living near a canal just north of central Bangkok, reported that she had to close her shop for two days due to the flooding. "The water keeps coming in. It’s hard to go out now. It’s at my waist level," she told the AFP news agency, adding that this situation was "worse than the 2011 flood."
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation has issued warnings of low pressure across eastern, northeastern, and central Thailand until Sunday, indicating a risk of flash floods, forest runoff, mudslides, and river overflow.