Floods in Thailand: At least 22 dead and over 2.6 million affected

At least 22 people have already died in the devastating floods in large parts of Thailand. According to civil protection, a total of more than 2.6 million people in 29 provinces and the capital Bangkok are now affected by the floods. Numerous streets and residential areas remained under water after days of heavy rain last week and over the weekend.

Although the rainfall in Bangkok and many other parts of the country has now eased, the flood situation remains tense. According to the authorities, at least in the capital, the situation could return to normal within two to three days, provided there is no heavy rain again.

Levels continue to rise

However, in many areas the danger has not yet been averted: large amounts of water from the higher regions are still flowing downstream and only reach the lower areas with a delay. The result: the levels continue to rise. At the same time, the current high tide is making it harder for the rivers to release their water into the sea.

Air traffic at the main Suvarnabhumi airport also continues to be affected. The consequences of the floods primarily cause problems with ground handling. Many employees were unable to get to work because of flooded roads. At Thai Airways alone, around 5,600 pieces of luggage were currently waiting to be processed.

The airline has also canceled numerous flights - including to Germany. Departures from Bangkok were temporarily significantly reduced, other planes took off late.