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Flooding in Thailand since mid-September has killed 60 people across the country, the government said Wednesday, as river levels continued to rise in some areas.
Days of heavy rain late last month inundated parts of Bangkok, although floodwaters in the capital have largely receded.
The situation remains difficult in central Prachinburi province, where 19 people have died, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
Overflowing rivers flooded homes across seven districts in the province, affecting more than 188,000 people, the department said in a statement.
Flood-related deaths have also been reported in about a dozen other provinces and Bangkok, while flooding remains ongoing in 27 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, it said.
In Bangkok, four people have died since September 16 after a month’s worth of rain fell over several days in late September, prompting the city authorities to declare a disaster.
A major clean-up operation is now underway as Bangkok prepares to host the IMF and World Bank meetings, which begin next week.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, whose government has faced public criticism over its response to the floods, ordered government agencies on Monday to manage flooding and transportation to prevent disruptions during the meetings.
September is typically the peak of Thailand’s rainy season, but this year’s flooding has been particularly severe for many residents of Bangkok, a city built on former marshlands and criss-crossed by a network of canals.
Some areas remained under knee-deep water for several days, forcing residents to abandon vehicles on submerged streets and prompting schools to close for two days.
