VIDEO: 15 students on truck in eastern Thailand get caught in flood

Fifteen students on a songthaew truck in Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong got caught in a flood in the main city district. The students had been on their way to school in the morning when run-off flooded the truck. The water level quickly rose to the middle of the truck’s height.

One student tried to get out of the truck, but the water’s strong current started to drag him away. Luckily, the incident happened right in front of a police station, and an officer managed to grab the boy before the waters swept him away.

Police and rescuers rushed in to tie the truck to a power pole with ropes. They then took turns walking along the rope to rescue the students one by one.

The deputy police inspector said the water came fast because the road is located next to a canal. He added that several houses on the canal’s banks were also inundated. Police also reported that a school van was also half submerged in the flood. The students in the van were all safely evacuated.

Cars across Thailand are getting stuck in floods as the monsoon season rages on. Yesterday at 8.45pm, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt livestreamed flooding in the Bang Khen district via Facebook. Chadchart walked to the flooded area from Wat Phra Sri Mahathat BTS Station to offer help to those caught in the floods. Governor Chadchart, in a fluorescent yellow jacket, got knee-deep in the floods to help push stranded vehicles through the water.

With rains going strong across Thailand, we should probably brace for more incidents like this across the country.

SOURCE: Nation Thailand