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

The city’s Ping River bursts its banks after reaching its highest level in 50 years.

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.