Flooding Ravages Thai District Known for Elephant Parks

Two people have died following the intense rains that inundated the city of Chiang Mai and surrounding areas that are popular with tourists.

Apple stuck her trunk out of the swollen river like a snorkel, paddling desperately to stay afloat. But the two ton, 15-year-old elephant was no match for the massive flooding that inundated Chiang Mai, Thailand’s second-largest city, last week. By the time a team of rescuers saw her, she had been swept more than a mile downriver.

“It was heart breaking to see an animal so strong struggling to stay afloat,” said Pasit Insamran, one of the rescuers, describing the incident Friday. “We kept shouting at her, hoping she would follow the sound and have the strength to swim closer to the shore so we could rescue her.”

Apple was a resident of the Elephant Nature Park, a sanctuary that is a hot spot for tourists. Flash floods quickly submerged the park. Mahouts, or elephant handlers, like Mr. Pasit, from other camps gathered and rushed to the scene by boats. They were able to rescue Apple, but two elephants from the sanctuary died.

Monsoon rains often cause havoc in Thailand but the flooding has been particularly intense this year, driven by climate change and the La Niña weather pattern. The overflowing Ping River overwhelmed Chiang Mai and caused the deaths of two people, the authorities said. Officials are now warnings of potential hazards in central Thailand, including parts of Bangkok near the Chao Phraya River.

Last week, the authorities issued evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people in northern Thailand. Outside Chiang Mai, some people had to be rescued from their houses by boats. Within city limits, residents had to wade through waist-high water to dry land. Water levels in other areas rose to 10 feet, about 3 meters — high enough to submerge the average elephant in Thailand, which is the country’s national animal.

One of the places hit by the flooding was the district of Mae Taeng, which is normally about two hour’s drive north of Chiang Mai. With more than 500 elephants and 49 parks, it is has the biggest concentration of elephants catering to tourists in Thailand, according to the National Elephant Institute.

A flash flood last week forced the Elephant Nature Park, the biggest sanctuary in the district, to evacuate its 126 elephants, as well as hundreds of other animals including dogs, cats, goats, cows and buffaloes. Park workers shepherded the elephants to what they thought was safe higher ground. But those areas were under water in minutes. Thirty elephants were caught in the flood, with some struggling to stay afloat.

The ensuing images of elephants wading in the water and the news that two female elephants — 16-year-old Faa Sai and 38-year-old Ploy Thong who was blind — drowned unleashed a torrent of criticism directed at Elephant Nature Park. It was the only sanctuary whose elephants were submerged and the only one to lose any. Faa Sai and Ploy Thong were found in floodwaters about 3 miles away from the park on Saturday.

The founder of the sanctuary blamed the ferociousness of the flash flood. “The water rose so rapidly and it was very murky,” said Saengduean Chailert, who also owns the park. She also defended herself, saying, “Evacuating more than 100 elephants is not as easy task.”

Some elephants, like Apple, were rescued by mahouts from other parks. It was a risky endeavor because interacting with new animals is difficult for even the most expert handlers.

“It is pretty daunting to work with elephants that are unknown,” said Dang Naltee, one of the rescuers. “But seeing them scared and exhausted, it’s devastating, and we knew we had to save them.”

There are about 3,800 elephants in captivity in Thailand and almost all of them are involved in the tourism trade. About 3,000 are believed to be in the wild in the country.

By Tuesday, the water had receded in Mae Taeng. What was once verdant green was covered in a thick layer of mud. Logs and timber used for shelters were scattered in the muck. Uprooted trees piled up at the shores.

But some elephant parks have been able reopen and tourists are once again riding and feeding the animals. Others are still cleaning up, with many elephants still stuck uphill. Many are traumatized, their handlers said, and don’t want to be anywhere near water.

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