Yingluck warns of flooding in central Bangkok

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has urged Bangkok residents to prepare for flooding, saying that water levels may reach up to 1.5 meters in the city.

The prime minister gave the warning on TV on Tuesday.

She said more places in the Thai capital will be inundated as the government cannot drain all the excess water by using canals and irrigation systems.

She added that if dikes are breached, water levels in central Bangkok will range from 10 centimeters to 1.5 meters.

She urged people to store their important possessions above the second floor.

Floodwaters began flowing into northern Bangkok after severely damaging industrial complexes in the central province of Ayutthaya.

There is concern about further damage as some protective barriers have already been breached in Bangkok and high tides are expected at the weekend.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 07:02 +0900 (JST)