At least three killed as floods swamp Thailand’s Chiang Mai

At least three people have been killed after flash floods swamped Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai.

The city, a popular tourist destination, was inundated by torrential rain as the Ping River swelled to 5.30 metres (17.4 feet), its highest level in 50 years, on Saturday night. The river runs along the eastern edge of the city.

Residents were forced to wade through thigh-high brown waters, and some tourists evacuated from their hotels in trucks. Some shops were forced to close, while the central train station was shut after floodwaters poured inside. Train services to the city were also suspended.

Saritdet Charoenchai, a public health official, said that three people had been killed, including a 44-year-old man who was electrocuted and a 33-year-old woman who died in a mudslide.

More than 80 people have moved into shelters, he said, as almost a dozen medical centres were closed due to the high water.

Elephants were used to rescue and evacuate residents caught up in the floods, but at a sanctuary north of the city, two elephants were reported drowned on Sunday.

Major inundations have struck parts of northern Thailand as recent heavy downpours caused the Ping River to reach “critical” levels, according to the district office.

Thailand’s northern provinces have been hit by large floods since Typhoon Yagi struck the region in early September, with one district reporting its worst inundations in 80 years.

Twenty of Thailand’s 76 provinces are currently flooded, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said on Sunday.

There were concerns of more flooding, including in the capital Bangkok after the Irrigation Department said it would be releasing water from a major dam after weeks of frequent heavy rain.