Bangkok declared all 50 of its districts disaster zones on Saturday after nearly two days of nonstop rain flooded roads, homes and shops across the Thai capital.
Almost 300 millimeters of rain fell on the city between Thursday afternoon and Saturday morning. Canals filled to capacity and residents waded through waist-deep water in some neighborhoods. Eastern Bangkok was among the hardest-hit areas.
Governor Chadchart Sittipunt urged residents to stay home. Schools will close on Monday, and government workers are being encouraged to work from home to keep traffic off flooded streets. The declaration gives city authorities and state agencies special powers to respond more quickly.
Thai media reported panic buying in some neighborhoods as residents stocked up on basic goods, fearing the flooding would get worse. Chadchart told the public there was no need to panic about food shortages.
At least 13 major roads were underwater, and some ride-hailing services stopped taking bookings. About 980 people moved into temporary shelters, and authorities transferred 36 bedridden residents to hospitals. The city prepared one million sandbags. Residents were also told to move cars to higher ground, and Bangkok's MRT offered free parking at park-and-ride lots until October 2.
The flooding reaches well beyond the capital. Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported flooding in 21 provinces on Saturday, with one death. Nearby Pathum Thani declared the Rangsit municipality an emergency disaster zone.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short a trip to London to return home and manage the response.
September is the peak of Thailand's rainy season, but this month has been unusually wet. Bangkok recorded 487 mm of rain between September 1 and 25, compared with an average of about 269 mm for the same period.
The Meteorological Department forecast heavy to very heavy rain in Bangkok and surrounding provinces through Sunday. It warned of flash floods, runoff, mudslides and rivers overflowing. Chadchart said the situation had begun to stabilize by Saturday afternoon.
