A flash flood in Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai Province, swept an "elephant" away with the current. Its fate remains unknown. Rescue teams are preparing to search the area.
At 10:50 a.m. on 19 Sep 2026, a report came in of one elephant being swept away by flash floodwaters in the mountainous area of Mae Win Subdistrict, Mae Wang District, Chiang Mai. The Mae Win River was flowing swiftly, carrying the elephant with the current. The elephant's fate remains unknown.
After the incident, the mahout and local villagers rushed to search for the elephant and coordinated with rescue teams and relevant authorities to assess the situation, as water levels continued to rise steadily.
At 11:09 a.m., preliminary information confirmed the elephant had not yet been found. Meanwhile, officials and rescue teams were preparing to deploy forces to Mae Win and stand ready to assist once coordinated by local caretakers.
Initially, the “Elephant Rescue” team and Doo Chang Doo Doi Chiang Mai from the Chang Trakul Saen family prepared for the rescue mission but awaited confirmation and orders from the site managers before proceeding due to the strong flash flood currents posing safety risks to rescuers.
Currently, all parties continue to intensively search for the elephant amid growing concern from the mahout, local villagers, and elephant lovers nationwide.