- Tropical Storm Dianmu has flooded 70,000 homes and killed six people in Thailand’s northern and central provinces.
- Local authorities in Bangkok have scrambled to protect vulnerable areas of the city from the approaching flood waters.
- The Thai capital is located on former marshland and sits only 1.5 meters above sea level.
BANGKOK, Thailand: With flood waters caused by Tropical Storm Dianmu engulfing 70,000 homes and killing six people in Thailand’s northern and central provinces, local authorities in Bangkok have scrambled to protect vulnerable areas of the city.
The Thai capital, once known as the “Venice of the East,” is located on former marshland and sits only 1.5 meters above sea level.
Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department stated that Tropical Storm Dianmu has caused flooding in 30 provinces, with the central region being the worst hit.
The level of the Chao Phraya River, which runs through Bangkok, is steadily rising, as authorities release water from dams further upstream.
On Tuesday, soldiers used barriers and sandbags to protect archaeological sites and neighborhoods in the old capital, Ayutthaya, some 40 miles north of Bangkok.
During the catastrophic 2011 monsoon season, 20 percent of Bangkok was under water and more than 500 people died, but there is now hope the city will be spared from a similar fate.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said it was monitoring the Chao Phraya’s water level and has set up water pumps and sandbags.
“We will warn people if there is a sign the water level is rising and if there is a risk of flash flooding,” said Bangkok governor Aswin Kwanmuang.
In Bangkok’s shopping district and residential area of Thonglor, which is popular with expats, city officials have begun piling sandbags outside banks and other businesses.
Before the city’s expansion, low-lying farmland and rice paddies, which have mainly been converted to high-demand real estate, absorbed flood waters from heavy rains.
However, according to local media, the city’s flood prevention plan involving underground reservoirs and tunnels has not been completed, due to issues related to acquiring land.
Emergency teams conducted dramatic rescue missions over the weekend, which included evacuating villagers from rooftops in the province of Chaiyaphum, northeast of Bangkok.
