Bangkok floods force thousands into shelters

BANGKOK: Thousands of Bangkok residents awoke in shelters on Sunday (Sep 27) after flooding triggered by days of heavy rain in the Thai capital inundated homes and roads, with some starting to dry out their homes and belongings.

Nearly 4,900 people have been evacuated to shelters, with around 52,000 households affected by the floods, which prompted a disaster declaration across the capital, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).

More than 330 millimetres of rain fell in some areas of the city between Thursday and Sunday, the weather agency said.

Thailand is used to wet weather and September is the peak of the rainy season, but several Bangkok residents said this year seemed worse.