Bangkok’s governor on Saturday declared Thailand’s capital city adisaster-affected zone after torrential rain led to widespread flooding, whilethe weather agency forecast thunderstorms over the weekend.

Major roads wereflooded with cars partly submerged and people were forced to wade throughwaist-height water after nearly ⁠300 mm (12 inches) of rain fell within 48hours.

Bangkok GovernorChadchart Sittipunt said the crisis “poses a risk to people’s lives” and coulddamage public and private property, and that the situation was most severe nearcanals.

The army said itis setting up shelters and field kitchens among other disaster relief efforts,while the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has designated schools astemporary accommodation and asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel.

Supermarketswere crowded with people stocking up on supplies.

“I’m ⁠worried too, because I haven’t stocked up on foodbeforehand, and I’ve never faced this kind of situation alone before, since myparents aren’t with me,” said 19-year-old Sansuk Laowatcharakul.

The governmenton Saturday issued an emergency advisory for people living near canals ⁠to move possessions to higher ground.

Before thewarning, “I wasn’t aware enough to consider relocating,” said Bangkok residentSuppakarn Julavijitphong as he carried luggage from a condo surrounded byfloodwater.

The ⁠city’s main airport, Suvarnabhumi, was operating normallythough the tourism authority advised travellers to allow an extra two to threehours in their plans.

Thailandexperienced ⁠its worst floods in decades in Novemberwhen at least 145 people died and thousands of homes were damaged in thesouthern provinces.