School Bus Stuck in Chiang Rai Floods, Students Safe

CHIANG RAI, Aug 22 (TNA) - Chiang Rai province has been hit by heavy rainfall, causing a school bus to become trapped in floodwaters. 

The incident occurred when the driver attempted to navigate a flooded road, and the bus became stuck with nearly a dozen students on board. Fortunately, no one was injured.

A Facebook user, "Thanakrit Martphuthorn," posted a video of the stranded school bus, along with a message saying, "The children are safe, but they might get home a bit late, waiting for the police boat to pick them up."

The video shows students visibly shaken as they wait for help. Local residents helped to carry the children to a nearby sandbank while they waited for a boat to transport them to safety.

Nan Province Faces Severe Flooding

The flood situation in Nan province has reached a critical level, with ten districts affected. Numerous rivers have overflowed their banks, inundating homes and agricultural land, and causing widespread damage.

Yesterday, three villagers who were collecting crickets near the flooded river in Chiang Klang district were swept away by the strong current. Fortunately, they managed to cling to a tree and were eventually rescued by local residents.

The district of Tha Wang Pha has been particularly hard hit, with water levels exceeding two meters. Over 700 households have been flooded, forcing many residents to evacuate to their relatives' homes or to evacuation centers.

Surupol Thiensoot, the mayor of Nan City, has warned residents to move their belongings to higher ground, as water levels are rising by an average of 5 centimeters per hour. The city is bracing for the worst, fearing a repeat of the devastating floods of 2011. The mayor has ordered the closure of all floodgates and is requesting additional large pumps to help drain the water.

Many schools in the flooded areas have been closed until further notice. -819 (TNA)