Flooding has killed eight people in Thailand since Sept. 16, all in eastern provinces. Outside Bangkok, more than 500,000 households and 1.7 million people across 27 provinces are affected; Bangkok declared a city-wide disaster, with 52,000 households hit.
The deaths were reported in Sa Kaeo (five), Chanthaburi (two) and Saraburi (one), according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. No deaths have been officially reported in Bangkok, which declared a disaster Saturday after nearly 48 hours of rain swelled canals and flooded roads.
The department said water levels had stabilised, but government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises said some Bangkok areas still had high water. Schools were closed and people were urged to work from home. Drainage had lowered water enough for more travel, although AFP reporters saw thigh-high water in at least one eastern neighbourhood.
