Two rescued elephants drown after flooding at popular Thailand sanctuary

Two rescued elephants died by drowning at a tourist hotspot in Thailand despite efforts to get the stranded animals out after it was flooded by rapid currents.

Faa Sai, a blind female elephant, and Ploy Thong, also a female, were confirmed dead following the “catastrophic flooding”, the Elephant National Park in Chiang Mai said.

Most of the 125 elephants kept at the park were led to safety and a few escaped on their own to seek higher ground and were reported missing.

The evacuation at the park started on Thursday after it received a flood warning. By Friday the Ping river, which runs along the eastern edge of the city, began overrunning its banks and gushing water filled the park.

The currents reportedly swept away several elephants even as park officials continued to rescue smaller animals like cats, dogs, pigs and buffalos. The rescue operation was hampered by the strong currents, which made some roads to the park inaccessible, and the lack of phone signal.

Several regions of Thailand have been hit by flash floods, torrential rains and landslides over recent weeks, with Typhoon Yagi, Asia’s most powerful storm this year, increasing the seasonal monsoon rainfall. The floods have destroyed or damaged around 8,625 households, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

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Saengduean Chailert, director of the sanctuary, was seen crying and mourning over the dead body of one of the elephants in a video shared by the park on Facebook.

She said Faa Sai and Ploy Thong were “found approximately 1 km downstream from the park, having succumbed to drowning”.

“We deeply appreciate the outpouring of kind words and support during this time of mourning and crisis,” she said.

Footage shared by the park showed the blind elephant tailing the herd while trying to navigate the hurdles along its way and eventually getting left behind.

Ploy Thong was rescued in 2018 from a riding camp in Pattaya. Despite her blindness, she lived harmoniously with her herd, who lovingly guided her throughout the park and ensured her safety, the park said.

“Tragically, Ploy Thong lost her herd during the flood, and despite the diligent efforts of her caretaker, she was swept away by the raging river,” it said.

Faa Sai was rescued in November 2007. Having reportedly endured animal cruelty, she arrived at the sanctuary as an extremely aggressive pachyderm.

“During the flood, Faa Sai ventured close to the river despite the concerted efforts of our team to keep her safe, and tragically, she too was taken by the current,” the park said.

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After the devastation in northern Thailand, central parts of the country, including the capital Bangkok, braced for floods Sunday as the Irrigation Department announced it was releasing water from a major dam swelled by weeks of heavy rain.

The rain has stopped in Chiang Mai, but many people, especially the elderly, remain cut off by flood waters that in some areas are waist-high.

Volunteer rescue teams, often travelling by boat, have been working to supply them with food and evacuate them.

Popular tourist areas such as the city’s Night Bazaar and Tha Pae Gate are under as much as a metre of water.