Thousands shelter in Bangkok as Thai floods kill at least eight, disrupt 580,000 homes
Thousands of Bangkok residents have moved to evacuation centres after 320mm of rain in two to three days inundated neighbourhoods, part of flooding across 41 Thai provinces since 16 September that has killed at least eight people and disrupted more than 580,000 homes.
Thousands of residents sheltered on Monday in evacuation centres in Bangkok, parts of which remain flooded after intense weekend rain, Reuters reported. At least 5,901 people in the capital have moved to 234 evacuation centres, a city administration official said.
Entire neighbourhoods were inundated and the drainage network swamped after 320mm (12.6in) of rain fell over two or three days last week — nearly as much as the low-lying city usually receives in all of September. “Over 80,000 residents living in flooded areas are unable to leave their homes,” said Unsit Sampuntharat, permanent secretary of the interior ministry, adding that mobile kitchens and boats were being mobilised for relief. His stated goal: three meals a day for all affected residents throughout the flooding period and for at least seven days after waters recede.
Bangkok is among 41 provinces hit by floods since 16 September that have killed at least eight people and disrupted more than 580,000 homes, the ministry said. In the coastal province of Rayong, authorities ordered evacuations on Monday after two reservoirs swelled beyond capacity.
Economist Aat Pisanwanich of Rangsit University estimated damage of at least 11bn baht ($327m) nationwide, expected to shave 0.3 percentage points off this year’s GDP growth, reducing it to 2.1%, and cut third-quarter growth by about 0.5 percentage points to 1.7%.
Residents in the hard-hit Bang Kapi neighbourhood waded through waist-deep waters to buy essentials from vendors using floating plastic boxes and drums.
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