BANGKOK — Thailand approved emergency funds on Tuesday for flood victims amounting to $122 million following a deluge that battered the country since mid-September, affecting more than 2.6 million people.The country’s capital, Bangkok, was recovering after days of torrential rains and widespread flooding, but some disruptions remained. Thailand’s main airport, which had been struck by flight cancellations, was struggling with a major baggage backlog.According to government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises, the approved funds of 4.1 billion baht would be disseminated by the Interior Ministry to compensate people impacted by the floods nationwide.Rain has largely stopped in Bangkok, but some neighborhoods, particularly in the east, are still inundated. The city’s governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, said traffic should return to normal on most main roads within two days, although in some low-lying areas it could take up to seven days for roads to dry out.While Bangkok was expected to stay dry, heavy rain was forecast elsewhere in Thailand for Tuesday, the Thailand Meteorological Department said.The department’s latest report, issued at 6 am Tuesday (2300GMT, Monday), said 167 districts, 890 subdistricts and 5,077 villages were still flooded, affecting 940,300 households.Water levels were rising in 14 provinces, stable in six provinces, and receding in nine others, according to the report.Bangkok has been among the worst-hit areas after days of intense rainfall inundated roads and residential neighborhoods. Local authorities continued pumping water from affected areas as rainfall eased.
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