Flood disaster in Thailand: Thousands of house cockroaches fled to the streets

The flood caused by days‑long heavy rains in Bangkok, Thailand's capital, has produced striking images in the city. As the water rose, a large number of cockroaches found in sewers and drains emerged onto the surface and moved toward higher, drier areas.

While the insects spread across the streets, climbing walls and poles, the resulting images were recorded by residents nearby with their cell‑phone cameras.

Heavy Rains Leave Bangkok Underwater

Intense rainfall that intensified on September 26 and 27 caused flooding in many parts of Bangkok. In some areas, the rain continued intermittently for about 48 hours, with measurements approaching 300 millimetres per square metre.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Municipality declared 50 districts of the city as disaster zones. About 52,000 households were affected by the flood, and many people were evacuated to temporary shelter centres.

Cockroaches Flee to Dry Areas

The rise of floodwaters not only affected the city's residents but also the living creatures that live in the sewer and underground areas. As the water level rose, many of the cockroaches in the sewer system were forced out.

In images shared on social media, the cockroaches were seen moving away from water‑infested areas toward walls, higher points, and dry areas.

Images Became Trending on Social Media

Footage recorded during the flood in Bangkok quickly spread on social media. In some images, citizens were seen trying to fight the floodwater on one hand while staying away from the cockroaches spreading through their surroundings on the other.

The emergence of the cockroaches became one of the striking images of the flood disaster, which left the city's transportation paralyzed and forced thousands of people to leave their homes.

Thousands of people were evacuated.

After heavy rains, about 5,000 people were sent to shelter centres in Bangkok. While more than 200 temporary shelters were established across the city, it was reported that in some areas the rainfall exceeded 330 millimetres per square metre.

It was reported that in Bangkok, where the flood affected about 700,000 people, municipal teams are continuing work to drain the water.