Bangkok floodwaters recede as officials race to drain canals

BANGKOK – Floodwaters receded across parts of Bangkok on Sept 27 after a break in torrential rain that caused severe flooding a day earlier and prompted the authorities to declare the Thai capital a disaster zone.The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said late on Sept 26 that the rain had eased, with only scattered clouds remaining, allowing the authorities to accelerate efforts to drain canals and lower water levels. Officials expected flooding to gradually subside if no further rain fell.Bangkok received nearly 300mm of rainfall over 48 hours through Sept 26, flooding major roads and leaving some cars partly submerged. The BMA said it had prepared 233 temporary shelters and moved around 4,200 people to shelters.Rain arrived in Bangkok in the early hours of Sept 27, with Thailand’s meteorological department warning that heavy downpours could worsen flooding in the capital, Thai news outlet The Nation reported.Thunderstorms are forecast across 80 per cent of Bangkok and surrounding provinces.Over the next 24 hours, many areas in the western part of Thailand’s central region are expected to have heavy rain, with very heavy rain in some places.Rainfall is beginning to ease in Bangkok and the surrounding provinces, as well as in the east. But the rain is set to continue, with heavy downpours in some areas.Schools run by the BMA will close on Sept 28 to keep students, parents, teachers and education staff safe, said BMA’s Department of Education on Sept 26.The department said persistent heavy rain had caused flooding and traffic problems, disrupted daily life in Bangkok, put people in danger and damaged private or government property.The closure is intended to give schools time to check potentially damaged property for safety and prepare for lessons and first-term examinations in the 2026 academic year, which runs from mid-May 2026 through early March 2027.It also aims to ensure students can travel to school safely and easily, with institutions needing to notify parents urgently and arrange make-up lessons later.The BMA’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Directorate declared all 50 districts disaster areas on Sept 25, to allow government agencies to respond to the situation.People in affected areas are warned to be wary of heavy to very heavy rain and accumulated rainfall, which could trigger flash floods, cause floodwater to build up and rivers to overflow, and lead to forest run-off and landslides, particularly on foothill slopes near waterways and in low-lying areas.They are also advised to avoid routes prone to recurring flooding, especially in low-lying areas where temporary waterlogging is possible.The conditions are being driven by a low-pressure area over the western part of the country’s central region, together with a fairly strong south-westerly monsoon over the Andaman Sea, the South and the Gulf of Thailand.Submerged cars on a flooded street during heavy rain in Bangkok on Sept 26. PHOTO: REUTERSThe upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are experiencing fairly strong winds and waves of 2m to 3m, rising above 3m in thunderstorms.Mariners in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand should navigate with caution and avoid thunderstorm areas.Small boats in the upper Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are advised to remain ashore until Sept 28. REUTERS, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK