Thailand: 17 Bangkok Locations Submerged After Heavy Rain Overnight

BANGKOK (NNN-TNA) -- Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra inspected the flood situation at Ratchadapisek Road after more than 100 millimeters rain last night caused flooding at 17 locations in the capital.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) workers mobilized to drain water at 17 locations citywide while the governor gave assurances that Bangkok is prepared to cope with the increased volume of water from north of Bangkok, both the runoff from the northern provinces and the continuing recent rains.

Nonetheless evacuation plans are in place for 27 communities outside the city’s flood prevention dykes.

Ratchadapisek Road at Ratchada-Lad Phrao intersection was under 10-15 cm of water, more than 20 buses and cars were inoperable due to the water and were parked along the road.

Sukhumbhand said the heavy rain at 3 a.m. Saturday morning measured as much as 101 mm, flooding 17 locations in Bangkok, the most critical being the heavily-travelled Ratchada-Lad Phrao intersection.

Four more high-performance water evacuation pumps were installed to drain water in the critically-affected areas and it was expected that the flooded areas could be flood-free by 10.30 a.m. Other flood-affected areas would be back to normal by midday.

As for worries that water flowing to Bangkok from the north, the Bangkok governor said he would inspect at Bang Sue Canal and the flood prevention dykes at Lak Hok and Klong Prem Prachakorn and will meet with agency officials involved with implementing the water management plan, as well as the evacuation plans for 27 communities in the metropolitan region but outside the BMA’s flood prevention dykes. – NNN-TNA