Around 320mm of rain fell in Bangkok across just two to three days –almost equivalent to what the city expects in the entire month of September
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Bangkok has been hit by a torrent of rain – nearly the average monthly rainfall expected by the city – within three days last week. The low-lying city was inundated by around 320mm of rain. In comparison, London recieves around 585mm in an entire year.
Across the country, 23 people have been killed by the floods and rain. Around 1,267 businesses across 40 provinces have been affected by flooding, including 52 factories and 1,162 small and medium businesses. Nationwide damage from the flooding is estimated at more than $320million.
Although Bangkok’s main airports continued to run throughout the weekend, some baggage handling operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport were impacted. Around 5,600 bags from Thai Airways flights remain stranded at the airport.
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‘Almost 100 per cent of flights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than three per cent on schedule as operational capacity could not be sustained,’ said Thai Airways chief executive Chai Eamsiri.
Bangkok’s oldest amusement park, Siam Amazing Park,k has also announced it will close for six months after suffering severe flood damage and remaining submerged for five days. Managing director Wuthichai Luangamornlert said that recent flooding had affected almost the entire amusement park, which also houses a zoo. Ten hog deer were rescued from floodwaters in the park, while a further six were found dead in the water.
In a meeting this week, Thailand’s cabinet approved more than $119million in funding to support efforts to tackle the floods. In addition, another eight-year-long drainage project costing $ 4.8billion has been approved, which is expected to enhance flood protection across Thailand’s central region, as well as Bangkok and its surrounding areas.
Previously, Thailand experienced record-high annual rainfall in 2011, leading to severe floods that impacted more than 13 million people and resulted in more than 680 deaths. In total, the floods caused estimated economic losses of $30billion.
