In a heartbreaking incident, two elephants tragically lost their lives during a flash flood in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The article explores the harrowing details of the disaster, the efforts to evacuate over 100 elephants, and the vow to improve safeguards for these majestic creatures. It also provides context on the wider flooding crisis affecting Northern Thailand. Relevant elephant and Chiang Mai Wikipedia articles are included for further information.
In Chiang Mai, flood bring down Elephants
But the calm of Chiang Mai, a northern Thai province famous for its jungle-clad hills and booming tourist industry, was shattered recently by an environmental disaster. Two popular elephants at the Elephant Nature Park have been killed in flash flooding after heavy monsoon rains swelled the Ping River.
Park director Saengduean Chailert was reported to have found the dead bodies of 16-year-old Fahsai and blind 40-year-old Ploython in the floodwaters. The park had never seen water this high, said Das, adding that “when I saw my elephants floating past my window… it was all our worst nightmares come true for all of us and something we will take immediate remedial action on to ensure the herd is safe through future monsoon seasons.”
The heroism to move elephants out from there
With time running short, the Elephant Nature Park crew got in motion efficiently getting 100+ elephants relocated to the higher elevations. In response to this incident, Dada and the assembled workers showed that they were willing to fight for the great mammals.
Efforts to get people out were hampered by quickly rising floodwaters, officials said. The team managed to help elephants out to safety through the dangerous conditions. Roger loved the animals, and so too did his staff — despite everything that was happening at the local level they all remained committed to caring for these beautiful innocent creatures and protecting them from those who would only seek to do them harm.
The loss of both Fahsai and Ploython has shocked the park community to its core but it has also strengthened their determination to make the elephant sanctuary more resilient in case of similar natural disasters in the future
Northern Thailand Faces Broader Flooding Crisis
Chiang Mai’s flash flooding is a symptom of an even larger crisis unfolding in the country’s northern provinces. Inundation is widespread across the region, which has suffered some of its largest floods in over 80 years following Typhoon Yagi earlier this month.
A further 20 provinces are suffering from the heavy rains and flooding, according to Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The development has seen tourists evacuated from hotels, shops in the city center being closed and the central train station shutting down temporarily.
Water depth in the area has risen and the water affected also includes a number of people local to Chiang Mai, with muddy knee-deep walks through water having become par for the course at Chiang Mai’s Night Bazaar. With the region coming to terms with what has happened and bracing for the impacts of these floods, attention must now turn to preventative action — not only in support of people who face repeated loss but also around long-term changes that will better protect vulnerable communities and residents such as those at The Elephant Nature Park.
