Villagers evacuate dozens of elephants as severe flood ravages wildlife sanctuary in northern Thailand

Villagers helped to evacuate dozens of elephants as severe floods struck a wildlife sanctuary in northern Thailand.

Mahouts, soldiers, and officers from the Protected Areas Regional Office 16 guided the jumbos out of the inundated Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai province on October 4.

Heartbreaking footage shows the animals wading through the floodwaters toward higher ground. Some smaller elephants struggled to stay above water in their pens.

Saengduean Chailert, owner of the elephant park, said: 'It was the biggest evacuation we have ever done to save their lives, the water rose rapidly.

'There are some animals we could not evacuate yesterday. Thirteen adult elephants are still trapped in their quarters. They are panicking.'

The owner added that at least two elephants were killed in the deluge, including a blind jumbo named Ploy Thong.

Kritsayam Kongsatri, director of the Protected Areas Regional Office 16, flew a helicopter on an aerial survey over the submerged region.

He said most of the 126 elephants in the park have been rescued, while around six were left. Officers have been unable to evacuate them because they were either hostile or ill.

He said: 'The rescue plan for tomorrow is to use a large motorboat with mahouts to guide the elephants. However, if the water level drops below six feet, we may be able to bring large trucks to the area to carry them away.'

Heavy rains have been ravaging northern Thailand in recent weeks. The seasonal downpours have caused severe floods as rivers burst their banks and submerged towns and villages.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season, which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon, leading to widespread flash floods.