Heavy downpours, high tide prompt flood alert in capital

Rain pounds Bangkok on Thursday evening. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
Rain pounds Bangkok on Thursday night time. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Bangkok has raised the flood alert level with heavy rain expected to fall till Saturday, adding to an enormous volume of run-off continuing to flow from upstream and high tide impeding flood water drainage.

All the capital’s main canals are full, except for Klong Saen Saep that was almost full since Thursday, said town governor Chadchart Sittipunt, adding that a trough is expected to provide more rain to the city.

Run-off coming from upstream locations measured as much as 1, 850 cubic metre distances per second Thurs morning, which additional more of a burden in order to attempts to empty excess water in the capital into the sea, he said.

Worse nevertheless, all these negative factors coincided with a higher tide period which began on Wednesday and is expected to carry on until Saturday, this individual said.

From Wednesday night time to Thursday early morning, Lat Krabang region reported the most rain fall of 130 millimetres, which triggered water damage in communities near Prawet Buri Rom Canal, the main overflow drainage route within eastern Bangkok, he said.

“All the main waterways in the city are full, except for Klong Saen Saep that is almost full as well, despite frantic attempts to drain excess water from the town, ” he stated.

One of the problems with the city’s drainage system is that old drains usually are capable of accommodating the precipitation level up to 170mm as skilled in Bang Khen district on Tuesday night, he said.

That explained why Klong Lat Phrao and Khlong Prem Prachakon have been full since, he said. Bangkok is literally surrounded by areas with incredibly high levels of water in rivers and canals, which are stalling flood water drainage from the capital, he or she said.