Record floods hit Chiang Mai; Bangkok on alert

An elephant wades through flood waters to help bring relief supplies to villagers in Chiang Mai Province Thailand Sunday Oct 6 2024 AP-Yonhap — An elephant wades through flood waters to help bring relief supplies to villagers in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Oct. 6, 2024. AP-Yonhap

SEOUL, October 08 (AJP) - Severe flooding has hit northern Thailand, with the city of Chiang Mai experiencing record-high water levels. The Ping River, which runs through Chiang Mai, reached a historic peak of 5.3 meters on Saturday night, submerging popular tourist areas like Tha Pae Gate and Night Bazaar under a meter of water. Three people have died from electrocution and landslides, while many residents have been evacuated or left stranded.

The flooding has disrupted transportation, with train services between Bangkok and Chiang Mai indefinitely suspended and major roads, including those to the airport, submerged. The Chiang Mai Elephant Nature Park has been severely affected, with most of its 125 elephants evacuated, two found dead, and some still missing.

Authorities have now issued flood warnings for central regions, including Bangkok. They caution that rising water levels in the Chao Phraya River, combined with high tides expected from Oct. 18 to 22, could lead to flooding in the capital. Since mid-August, floods have impacted 42 provinces, resulting in 49 deaths, 28 injuries, and displacing over 34,000 people.

AJP