Severe flooding has transformed neighbourhoods of Bangkok into stagnant lakes, killing 40 people and prompting a disaster declaration across all 50 of the city's districts, according to the Guardian.
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Key facts
- 40 people have died in the Bangkok flooding.
- A disaster has been declared across all 50 city districts.
- Roughly 300mm of rain fell in about two days in parts of the city.
- That total equals about half a year of average rainfall in London.
- Experts warn extreme flooding will worsen across south-east Asia.
Bangkok has reached what experts describe as a breaking point after intense rainfall transformed whole neighbourhoods of the Thai capital into stagnant lakes. According to the Guardian, 40 people have died and a disaster has been declared across all 50 of the city’s districts.
The city is accustomed to the sudden afternoon downpours that arrive during the rainy season. Even streets in many central high-rise districts can briefly turn into rivers, with rats and cockroaches fleeing flooded sewers to take temporary refuge on trees and buildings as the underground drainage system is flushed out.
This year, however, the rain fell so fast and so hard that the city’s usual capacity to absorb water was overwhelmed. Rather than turning into fast-moving rivers that drain away, affected neighbourhoods have been left submerged under standing water.
The scale of the rainfall underscores the severity of the event. In parts of the city, roughly 300mm of rain fell in about two days, the Guardian reports. That is the equivalent of half a year of average rainfall in London, concentrated into a matter of days.
Experts quoted by the Guardian warn that extreme flooding of this kind will only worsen across south-east Asia, pointing to a broader regional trend of increasingly severe rainfall events.
The declaration of a disaster across every one of Bangkok’s districts signals the breadth of the impact on a densely populated capital, where flooded streets and stagnant water pose ongoing risks to residents.
Why it matters
Bangkok is one of south-east Asia's largest cities, and flooding that overwhelms its drainage leaves millions exposed to danger and disruption. Experts warning that such extreme rainfall will worsen across the region highlights the growing strain climate-driven weather is placing on major urban centres.
Frequently asked questions
How many people have died in the Bangkok floods?
According to the Guardian, 40 people have died in the flooding.
How much rain fell in Bangkok?
In parts of the city, roughly 300mm of rain fell in about two days, equivalent to about half a year of average rainfall in London.
How widespread is the disaster declaration?
A disaster has been declared across all 50 of Bangkok's city districts.
Timeline
- Bangkok at breaking point as floods turn streets into stagnant lakes
The Guardian World: With 40 dead and a disaster declared across all 50 city districts, experts warn extreme flooding will only worsen across south-east Asia Bangkok is used to absorbing the sudden afternoon downpours that inundate the city during the rainy season. Even streets in many central high-r