Days of heavy rainfall have caused widespread flooding across Bangkok, forcing nearly 4,900 people to evacuate to shelters as homes and roads were inundated.
The flooding has affected about 52,000 households, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Water levels in the city’s extensive canal network remained high on Sunday as authorities worked to accelerate drainage.
More rain was forecast for Bangkok and surrounding provinces throughout Sunday, although authorities expected the rainfall to begin easing on Monday.
Bangkok authorities declared a flood disaster across the capital on Saturday following almost 48 hours of intense rainfall. Weather officials reported that some parts of the city received more than 330mm (13 inches) of rain between Thursday and Sunday.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said several roads remained flooded and urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel. He added that the floodwaters were expected to recede once the rain stopped, as officials continued efforts to drain affected areas.
The flooding submerged vehicles, entered residential buildings and disrupted movement across several parts of the Thai capital.
Scientists have warned that extreme weather events such as intense rainfall and flooding are expected to become more frequent and severe as global temperatures continue to rise due to greenhouse gas emissions.
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