HEAVY RAIN TRIGGERS FLOOD EMERGENCY IN BANGKOK

BANGKOK, SEPTEMBER 26 /SRNA/ - Authorities in Bangkok declared a state of emergency over flooding after 48 hours of heavy rain filled canals across the Thai capital, inundated roads and left residents wading through knee-deep water.

Authorities urged people to remain at home after nearly 300 millimeters of rain fell since Thursday afternoon, while Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said he was cutting short a trip to London and returning to the country.

Rainfall since Thursday afternoon has filled the city's network of canals, sending muddy water into nearby homes, restaurants, shops and streets.

Many major roads were also flooded, AFP reporters said, forcing residents in several districts to wade through water reaching their knees and, in some places, their thighs.

Officials said the situation was most severe in the eastern part of the city and warned that further rainfall was expected.

Bangkok recorded 487 millimeters of rain between September 1 and 25, compared with an average of 269 millimeters for the same period from 1991 to 2020.