Photo: Collected
Eight people have died in Thailand in floods caused by continuous rain since the middle of this month. Of the dead, five were residents of Sa Kaeo, two of Chanthaburi and one of Saraburi province. Although a disaster was declared in the capital Bangkok because of heavy rain, no deaths were reported there. The country’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation confirmed the information on Monday (28 September).
The agency said a flood situation has arisen in Thailand due to continuous rain since 16 September. Excluding Bangkok, more than 500,000 families and 1.7 million people in 27 provinces of the Southeast Asian country have been hit by the floods. Another 52,000 families have been affected in the capital. A citywide disaster had to be declared as canals and drains overflowed and roads were submerged in heavy rain that lasted about 48 hours.
However, AFP journalists saw heavy rain and flooding in at least one area in the east, where residents are having to wade through knee-deep water to get around. Schools have been kept closed and people have been urged to work from home. As many responded to that call, crowds on the roads and public transport were comparatively thin on Monday morning.
Government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises told a news briefing that the water level in some areas of Bangkok is still very high. He said the level has come down somewhat because of the drainage system, so more people are now able to move about than before. Monsoon weather is a normal occurrence in Thailand and September is the peak of the monsoon. However, many residents say the situation this time seems far worse than in previous years.
