Brief

Bangkok declares disaster zone after record 213.5 mm of rain

Heavy rain from a low‑pressure cell left Bangkok’s streets waist‑deep, prompting officials to declare the capital a disaster zone.

By Felo News Desk · Published Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:04:21 GMT

Bangkok was declared a disaster zone by city officials on 28 September after streets in the capital were submerged in waist‑high flood water. The flooding was caused by an active low‑pressure cell that brought continuous heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to the city and surrounding regions. The cell moved north‑westward across the Gulf of Thailand early on Thursday, then settled over central Thailand by Friday morning. For the next two days it remained roughly stationary, allowing unrelenting downpours over Bangkok and nearby areas.

A weather station near Prachin Buri, just north‑east of the capital, recorded 213.5 mm of rain within a 24‑hour period between Friday and Saturday evening local time – a figure that dwarfs London’s annual average of 585 mm. The centre of the low‑pressure cell shifted north‑westward on Sunday, ending the torrential rainfall.

Earlier Felo coverage noted that the heavy rains had displaced thousands, forced the closure of schools and prompted the deployment of 10,000 soldiers to aid evacuation efforts. The city’s pumps were operating at full capacity and one million sandbags were prepared for flood mitigation.

Key facts

Bangkok declared a disaster zone on 28 September (theguardian.com)
213.5 mm of rain recorded at Prachin Buri in 24 hours (theguardian.com)
Low‑pressure cell remained over central Thailand for two days (theguardian.com)
Flooding forced evacuation of thousands and school closures (theguardian.com)

Background

Earlier Felo reports on 27 September highlighted the scale of the flooding, noting that nearly 5,000 residents were evacuated and 52,000 households were affected. The city’s emergency services had been mobilised and a large number of temporary shelters were set up.