Thailand: Bangkok flooding triggers disaster declaration

Bangkok: Authorities in Bangkok on Saturday declared a disaster across 50 districts in Thailand's capital after days of heavy rainfall caused severe flooding.Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the eastern parts of the city were impacted most. By Saturday afternoon, Chadchart said the situation had "stabilised" and added: "If more rainwater doesn't fall in the area, it will be solved.""If the rain stops, it is expected that it will take two to three days to drain the floodwater," he said in an update on social media.More rain in Bangkok forecastChadchart said almost 300 millimetres (11.8 inches) of rain had fallen since Thursday afternoon and warned that more rain was expected."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 governor said on social media and advised residents to move their possessions to higher ground."The risk areas are those who live near canals. Every canal is now filled," he said.Chadchart urged bedridden patients dependent on life-saving medical equipment to consider a temporary stay in hospital.Thai authorities said more than 84,000 people in 21 provinces nationwide have been impacted by flooding as of Saturday, especially in the central region.Floods evoke memories of deadly 2011 deluge"The water keeps coming in. It's hard to go out now. It's like at my waist level now," local vendor Somkid Pheuk-ngam, told the AFP news agency."I cannot go anywhere. I have been closing my shop for two days now," she told AFP, adding that while she often gets flooded, "I think this time is worse than the 2011 flood."Flooding across Thailand in 2011 killed more than 500 people and damaged millions of homes.Thailand's Meteorological Department warned the heavy rain would persist in most parts of the country through Sunday and pointed to a strong low-pressure system dominating the central region and strengthening monsoon conditions.