Bangkok Declares All 50 Districts Disaster Areas as Floods Hit Thailand
Heavy rain has flooded Bangkok and 21 provinces, prompting disaster declarations across the capital and affecting more than 84,000 people.
Torrential rain has battered Bangkok and swathes of Thailand, submerging roads, paralysing traffic and forcing hundreds of residents to leave their homes, authorities said on Saturday.
The Meteorological Department said the downpour, which began on Thursday, is expected to persist across much of the country until Sunday.
In the capital, rainfall in some areas has surpassed 30 centimetres since Thursday, with central and eastern districts bearing the brunt of the flooding. All 50 of Bangkok's districts have been declared disaster areas, a step intended to accelerate the emergency response.
Nationwide, more than 84,000 people across 21 provinces have been affected by the floods, according to the government.
Footage from affected regions showed submerged cars stranded on inundated roads, residents pushing stalled vehicles through the water and families wading through flooded streets, in some cases carrying children on their backs.
In Prachinburi province, east of the capital, residents navigated waterlogged roads and took shelter from the continuing rain. In Pak Chong district in Nakhon Ratchasima province, houses stood partly submerged and trees were swallowed by the floodwater.
Further east in Buriram province, floodwater rushed through a broken section of road, prompting residents to improvise a crossing with wooden planks as they worked to repair the damage.
The flooding has disrupted daily life across large parts of the country, with authorities urging caution as the rain is forecast to continue through the weekend.