The death tollfrom rains and flooding in Thailand has risen to 23, authorities said onTuesday, as waters receded from the hard-hit capital Bangkok, where its mainairport operated in chaos, and the government approved a multi-million aid package.

Bangkok wasswamped by around 320 mm (12.6 inches) of rain within three days last week,nearly as much as the sprawling low-lying metropolis usually gets in the wholeof September.

The city’sgovernor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said that he expected floodwater to drain awayfrom Bangkok’s major roads within two days, although it will take up to a weekfor other inundated areas to be cleared out.

“Recoveryefforts are under way in areas where the water has gone down,” ⁠he said.

Across thecountry, at least 23 people have died since September 16, including 4 inBangkok, according to the Interior Ministry.

Airport chaos lingers

Bangkok wasamong 42 provinces hit, with the floods causing an estimated $367 million indamage across two dozen provinces and threatening to weigh on thetourism-dependent economy.

Although Bangkok’smain airports kept running, chaos ensued at Suvarnabhumi Airport, the country’slargest, where Thai Airways said its operations were crippled by half of itspersonnel being unable to come to work.

The flag carriersaid it plans to cut about 30 flights — about 30% of its planned departuresfrom Bangkok — on Tuesday, even as it grappled with some 5,600 bags from itsflights that remain stranded at Suvarnabhumi.

“Almost 100% offlights over the past two days were delayed, with fewer than 3% on schedule asoperational capacity could not be sustained,” said Thai Airways Chief ExecutiveChai Eamsiri, adding that a reduction in the airline’s flights from Bangkokwill last for at ⁠least three days.

After flying infrom Azerbaijan, Emir Demiroez was frantically looking for his bags at theairport so that he could get on his next flight to Malaysia.

“Nobody knowsanything. Nobody can help us. We can’t find our baggage,” he said. “We have oursecond flight at 2 p.m., but I don’t know if we’ll get it.”

Minister criticises airline

Although theinability of many staff to report to work disrupted operations, Thailand’stourism minister said Thai Airways also assigned its own employees to serveother airlines for which ⁠it provides contracted ground-handlingservices to avoid facing penalty charges.

“This damagesthe country’s image,” Surasak Phancharoenworakul told reporters, singling outthe airline for rebuke.

“We need todiscuss how the management needs to work more proactively,” Surasak said. “Ifthey don’t want to do the job, then resign.”

Thai Airways didnot immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Surasak’s ⁠remarks.

Money for flood aid and drainage

Tourism is a keydriver of Thailand’s economy, which has lagged regional peers since thepandemic, with foreign arrivals dropping 3.12% year-on-year in the January toSeptember period to 21.28 million visitors.

In a meeting onTuesday, Thailand’s cabinet approved over 4 billion baht ($119 million) toaddress the impact ⁠of the floods, Prime Minister AnutinCharnvirakul said, adding that another long-term drainage project costing 160billion baht ($4.8 billion) had also been given the go-ahead.

The project willtake eight years to complete, he said, adding that it is aimed at enhancingflood protection across the central region, Bangkok and its surrounding areas.