Several provinces in central Thailand braced for floods Sunday after the Irrigation Department announced it was releasing water from a major dam after weeks of frequent heavy rain.

Chang Wat Chiang Mai, Thailand - October 05, 2024 Heavy rainfall swept through northern Thailand on Friday, October 4, causing the second major flood within a week. Residents of Chiang Mai and surrounding areas were forced to evacuate to higher ground,

In the Thai capital Bangkok, the government said Saturday it will let more water flow out of the Chao Phraya Dam in the central province of Chai Nat over the next seven days, as it risks exceeding it

Central provinces, including the capital Bangkok, have been warned of possible flooding as the Irrigation Department plans to release water from the Chao Phraya Dam to keep it under capacity.

Two elephants carrying people cross the current.Elephant relief activities were carried out near Chiang Mai, a famous tourist

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.

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.

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