Chiang Mai, Thailand's northern city popular with tourists, was inundated by widespread flooding Saturday as its main river overflowed its banks following heavy seasonal rainfall.

Areas of a key tourist city in northern Thailand, as well as the surrounding provinces, have been flooded by swelling water levels of a major river in addition to a dam exceeding storage capacity.

The Chiang Mai city government said the water level of the Ping River, which runs along the eastern edge of the city, was at critically high levels and was rising since Friday.

As videos surface from the sanctuary, it can be seen how elephants are walking in the rising water levels hoping to get to a safety zone as soon as possible. The sanctuary is dedicated to elephants who are rescued or have escaped ultimate cruelty to live a peaceful life ahead.

More floods are expected in beleaguered Chiang Mai later on Friday, with water levels along the Ping River expected to reach 4.95 metres starting in the morning.

October 04, 2024 Floods breached sandbag barriers as heavy rain returned to northern Thailand. Torrential rainfall struck the region again and caused the Sai River to burst its banks in Chiang Mai province on October 3.