Heard of elephants evacuated from flooded sanctuary in Thailand

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – A world-renowned elephant sanctuary in northern Thailand was the scene of severe flooding, with staff working to save hundreds of animals as a local river overflowed its banks.

Elephant Nature Park, located in the mountainous city of Chiang Mai, has been impacted by monsoon rains and the remnants of at least two tropical cyclones over the last several weeks.

Photos released by staff members showed grazing pastures entirely underwater, with volunteers helping to remove animals via boats.

The group took to social media to seek volunteers but warned that travel was nearly impossible due to the condition of the roadways and washouts.

"The river that flows through ENP has burst its banks, and we have been working tirelessly to evacuate our rescued animals to higher ground throughout the day," the animal rescue and rehabilitation center posted on social media.

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Satellite estimates indicated that parts of the region received more than 5 to 10 inches of rainfall above typical amounts over the last month, with additional precipitation expected.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the region has been plagued by heavy rainfall from the annual monsoon and the remnants of two tropical cyclones that made landfall on the continent.

The monsoon and typhoon seasons typically overlap in Thailand, leading to the threat of flash flooding, but locals have called it one of the worst events they have ever seen.

"This is the most severe flooding we have ever experienced, and unfortunately, the weather forecast predicts more heavy rain in the coming days," staff members at ENP stated.

In nearby Myanmar, the U.N. reported more than 1 million residents were impacted by flooding and mudslides, which have caused at least 360 fatalities.

"The floods have submerged thousands of crops, farmlands, and livestock, significantly impacting the livelihoods of affected communities. Critical infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, including roads, bridges, communication networks, schools, public service facilities, religious sites, and farmlands. More than 65,000 homes, 1,500 schools, 200 roads and bridges, and more than 80 telecom towers have been destroyed or damaged," staff at the agency’s OCHA office stated.

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Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said as of Sept. 28, it was aware of 49 deaths attributed to the extreme weather, with nearly 5,000 villages impacted by flooding and landslides.

Despite catastrophic scenes of flooding, staff at the elephant sanctuary said all its animals and personnel were safe as efforts continued to move all to higher ground.