Flash floods hit Tak school after five days of rain
Five days of heavy rain triggered flash floods in Thailand's Tak province, inundating a school and nearby veterans' village in mountainous Phop Phra district as residents scrambled to move belongings to safety.
TAK — 19 May 2026, flash floods triggered by days of heavy rain swept through a school and nearby village in Thailand's border province of Tak, forcing teachers, students and residents to scramble to move belongings to higher ground, officials said.
Authorities said continuous rainfall over the past five days affected several districts along the border, particularly Phop Phra district, a mountainous area where red floodwaters rushed down from surrounding hills on the evening of 18 May.
The floods inundated Rom Thai Phatthana 4 School in Ruam Thai Phatthana subdistrict, with water and mud surging into ground-floor classrooms used by young children.
The school temporarily suspended classes for younger pupils while teachers cleaned the affected buildings on 19 May. The incident caused panic among teachers, students and villagers as floodwaters rapidly entered the school grounds. Teachers and pupils helped move valuables to higher areas while trying to drain water from the buildings.
Floodwaters later swept into Ban Ruam Thai Phatthana 14, a veterans' village nearby, damaging homes, village roads and some agricultural land.
Residents rushed to move electrical appliances and belongings to safety as the fast-moving currents rose rapidly, leaving little time to prepare.
Thongdaeng Jantasen, village headman of Ban Ruam Thai Phatthana 14, said prolonged heavy rain caused runoff from nearby mountains to surge through the school area before quickly flooding the village. He said residents were alarmed by the speed and strength of the floodwaters, with some households fearing for their safety and property.
No injuries were reported, officials said.
