Rainfall eased in Thailand’s capital Sunday, but flooding continued in several low-lying areas, forcing thousands of residents to move to temporary shelters. At least eight people have died across the country over the past 10 days.

Several days of heavy rain have caused widespread flooding in Bangkok, disrupting traffic and businesses. Rainfall totals have exceeded 30 centimetres (11.8 inches) in many parts of the city.

Thailand’s Meteorological Department forecast moderate to heavy rain in several parts of the country Sunday but said weather conditions were expected to improve from Monday.

Bangkok authorities have opened more than 200 temporary shelters, with around 3,000 people staying there as of Sunday. Floodwaters were still affecting 31 roads across the capital.

Bangkok Gov. Chadchart Sittipunt said rainfall had decreased and city authorities were working to drain the accumulated water as quickly as possible. However, he warned that water levels in major canals remained high, with some continuing to rise as water flowed in from surrounding areas.

Several low-lying parts of the city, particularly suburban communities, remained inundated, forcing residents in some areas to evacuate, Chadchart said.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said more than 545,000 people in 25 other provinces had been affected by flooding as of Sunday. The central and eastern regions were among the worst affected.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said persistent rainfall had overwhelmed drainage systems in many areas. He instructed relevant authorities to take immediate steps to ease the situation and provide assistance to affected residents.

Several long-distance train and bus services were suspended because of the flooding. Airports remained operational, although passengers experienced some delays.