Heavy rains visit Bangkok: Hanoi, you are not alone

By Toan Dao June 22, 2016 | 03:17 am PT

In less than a month, two major cities and popular destinations for tourists in Southeast Asia, Hanoi and Bangkok, have suffered from historic downpours.

Bangkok has in recent days experienced heavy rains which city Governor Sukhumbhand Paripatra said are the heaviest in 25 years, according to The Nation newspaper on Wednesday.

Photo by The Nation

But Bangkok is not the only victim of heavy rains in the region. Just last month, Hanoi had to deal with its heaviest rains in 10 years, which transformed it into a city of canals overnight.

The rains in Bangkok caused flooding in many parts of the capital with up to 36 areas inundated by late Monday. According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), a record 182 millimetres fell in 24 hours in Khan Na Yao District and around 142 millimetres fell in other parts of the city center, such as Sathorn.

Local authorities have already cleaned up 27 areas and preparations such as installing more water pumps and reducing the water levels in the city's canals are being made to prepare for the next rain, Sukhumbhand said.
With a high risk of more heavy rain over the next few days, the BMA has prepared more manpower and equipment to fight flooding.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said flooding is a chronic problem in Bangkok and the overall system needs to be reformed, The Nation said.

Let’s take a look at some scenes from Bangkok and Hanoi.

Bangkok