Dam Release Floods Chainat Home, Earthworms Invade Yard
Thousands of earthworms surfaced around a disabled man’s house in Chainat province after the Chao Phraya Dam released water at 2,500 cubic meters per second, flooding the surrounding area. The homeowner, who lost both arms and his right leg, said the worms are harmless and he remains safe as long as water levels stay below 3,000 cubic meters per second. Authorities reported widespread flooding across eight districts, affecting thousands of homes and large tracts of farmland.
On October 3, 2026, reporters visited Moo 4, Hat Ars Subdistrict, Sankhaburi District, Chai Nat Province after the Chao Phraya Dam increased its discharge to 2,500 cubic meters per second. The outflow flooded the surroundings of the home of 65‑year‑old Chen, a double‑arm amputee who also lacks his right leg, though water had not yet entered the house. Thousands of earthworms were seen crawling out of the saturated soil and gathering around the house, with some finding their way inside. Chen said he is not concerned about the worms, noting they are harmless and appear every flood season. He added that last year media coverage of his story led to a new prosthetic leg, but he is afraid to use it in the water and has temporarily switched to his old prosthesis. He expects the current flood to be brief and plans to stay on the ground floor as long as the dam’s outflow remains below 3,000 cubic meters per second; if it exceeds that level he will move upstairs. The floodwaters began encroaching on the area around his house on the evening of October 2. Water level data from the C.2 gauge in Nakhon Sawan showed a reading of +23.33 m MSL with a flow of 2,245 cubic meters per second, down from 2,416 the previous day. At the dam, upstream level was +17.82 m MSL and downstream +15.93 m MSL, with outflow holding steady at 2,500 cubic meters per second. The Chai Nat provincial command center reported that the flooding affected eight districts, 49 subdistricts, 347 villages, two communities, 7,556 households, 22,336 people, and 7,541 houses, damaging 112,947.75 rai of farmland (including 88,202.5 rai of rice paddies, 24,242.75 rai of other field crops, and 502.5 rai of fruit trees and perennial plants), two health stations, seven temples, fifteen schools, three road sections, one canal stretch, and one bridge.
