WORLD
Thailand floods kill 23, including four in Bangkok
Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said flooding had affected 29 of the country’s 77 provinces.
BANGKOK (AFP) — Flooding across Thailand has killed 23 people since mid-September, including four in Bangkok, the government said Tuesday.
Around 700,000 people have been affected in the capital, where parts of the city remained flooded three days after authorities declared a citywide disaster following nearly 48 hours of continuous rain.
Schools remained closed for a second day, while nearly 7,000 people were staying in more than 230 shelters across Bangkok.
Thailand's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said flooding had affected 29 of the country's 77 provinces.
Eight deaths were reported in Samut Prakan and six in Sa Kaeo, while the remaining fatalities occurred in Chanthaburi, Ayutthaya and Saraburi.
Bangkok's pumping stations have been operating at full capacity, but Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said Sunday it could take "up to a week" for floodwaters to fully drain.
September is typically the peak of Thailand's rainy season, but residents said this year's flooding appeared worse than in previous years.