Days of heavy rain in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, have triggered widespread flooding, inundating homes and roads and affecting some 52,000 households. Nearly 4,900 people have been evacuated to shelters, according to authorities.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported on Sunday morning that water levels in the city’s canal network remained high, with efforts underway to accelerate drainage. More rain was forecast for Bangkok and surrounding provinces throughout Sunday, but conditions were expected to ease by Monday.

A flood disaster was declared across Bangkok on Saturday after almost 48 hours of continuous heavy rain. The weather agency reported that more than 330mm (13 inches) of rain fell in some parts of the city between Thursday and Sunday.

Scientists warn that the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events will increase as the planet continues to heat up due to fossil fuel emissions. Such disasters are likely to become more common and severe in the future.

Source: www.aljazeera.com