Bangkok roads submerged as flood disaster declared

For context, a flood emergency disaster has been declared throughout Bangkok after 48 hours of heavy rain left roads in the Thai capital submerged.

Key points

• Somkid Pheuk-ngam, a 67-year-old who lives near a canal just north of central Bangkok, informed the AFP news agency: The water keeps coming in.
• When Bangkok was impacted by nationwide flooding, she remarked water levels in the city appeared to be worse than in 2011.
• The rain is projected to continue into Sunday, raising fears that more canals could burst their banks.
• Hundreds were killed throughout Thailand then in an extreme weather event that lasted for three months.
• All 50 of Bangkok's districts have been declared emergency zones.

Individuals have been called on to stay at home and those living close to the city's network of canals have been advised to move their belongings to upper floors.

Thunderstorms are common in Thailand at this time of year but extreme weather in recent days has inundated Bangkok's drainage system, causing traffic chaos on roads that are already famously congested.

For context, the rain is projected to continue into Sunday, raising fears that more canals could burst their banks.

Somkid Pheuk-ngam, a 67-year-old who lives near a canal just north of central Bangkok, informed the AFP news agency: The water keeps coming in. It's hard to go out now. It's like at my waist level now.

"I cannot go anywhere. I have been closing my shop for two days now."

Hundreds were killed throughout Thailand then in an extreme weather event that lasted for three months. So far, no casualties have been documented in Bangkok from this latest flooding.

Though the area of low pressure causing the downpours of recent days is projected to move towards central Thailand, the Thai Meteorological Service has forecast more heavy rain through the week. All 50 of Bangkok's districts have been declared emergency zones.

Chadchart Sittipunt, the city's governor, remarked the east of the city had been hardest hit, AFP noted.

He continued: "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. The risk areas are those who live near canals. Every canal is now filled."

In short, bangkok roads submerged as flood disaster declared is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.