BANGKOK:* Flash flooding in the popular tourist city of Chiang Mai has resulted in the deaths of three people, according to a health official on October 6. Visitors evacuated hotels as knee-high muddy water flooded the streets, while shops closed in the city center.

In a tragic turn, two elephants drowned in rising waters north of the city. The flood also affected the night bazaar and central train station, leading to closures, and left thousands of bed-ridden elderly and children in need of food and evacuation as the Ping River hit a historic high on Saturday night. 

Public health official Saritdet Charoenchai reported that the fatalities included a 44-year-old man electrocuted and a 33-year-old woman who died in a mudslide. Over 80 people have sought shelter as several medical centers were forced to close.

Local media depicted a monk carrying a coffin through the floodwaters, highlighting the extent of the disaster. At the Elephant Nature Park, more than 100 elephants were relocated to higher ground, but two—Faa Sai and the blind Ploy Thong—were found drowned downstream. Park director Saengduean Chailert expressed her devastation, promising to improve safety measures for the elephants ahead of next year's monsoon.