Severe Flooding Submerges Bang Khla, Monks Flee, Bodies Stored Cold
Severe flooding in Bang Khla district, Chachoengsao, has submerged homes and roads under 1.5‑meter waters, forcing monks to evacuate Wat Lad Bua Khao and leaving drowning victims’ bodies stored in cold storage without funeral rites. Rescue teams delivered relief supplies by boat, including a first aid package that brought tears of gratitude to a 70‑year‑old resident and food for her dogs. Many residents remain isolated, with water levels still rising and some elderly refusing to leave their homes.
Chachoengsao’s Bang Khla district remains in crisis as floodwaters stand at 1.5 meters, with powerful currents flooding roads. Aerial views show that the areas around Hua Sai and Bang Ka Jed subdistricts are almost completely submerged, the water cutting violently across routes and continuing to rise, making small‑vehicle passage impossible.
At Wat Lad Bua Khao in Moo 6, Hua Sai subdistrict, the temple grounds are fully underwater, water level about 1 meter 50 centimeters. All monks have relocated to the preaching hall for safety. The Ek Khaneg shop delivered 100 relief packs by boat through the raging flood to monks and residents.
The situation proved heartbreaking when, upon arrival, rescuers found a corpse of a drowning victim placed inside the hall where monks had taken refuge, but religious rites could not be performed. Village head Prachak Eiamsiri, 81, of Hua Sai subdistrict explained that the deceased was a local resident; however, due to the flooding relatives cannot reach the temple to conduct funeral ceremonies, so the body must be kept in a cold storage unit until water recedes enough to allow normal rites.
From the rear of Wat Lad Bua Khao, the boat headed toward Bang Ka Jed subdistrict, where vast expanses of water covered rice fields and shrimp ponds, turning the landscape into an endless lake.
Along the way, a 70‑year‑old woman living deep in the flooded area, reachable only by boat, received her first relief package. She tearfully thanked the rescuers, saying she had just eaten her first meal of the day—plain rice with a leftover fried egg—because she could not leave her home. The aid, which also included dog food, felt like a lifeline for her and her pets.
The survey continued to Bang Ka Jed, where twelve people were found sheltering together in a two‑story house whose entrance was submerged. Water reached chest level and showed no sign of dropping, instead appearing to rise further. Most residents have evacuated to temporary shelters, leaving only a few elderly residents who stay behind to guard their property, sometimes just one or two people per house.
Additionally, several stray dogs were seen trapped on a canal bridge amidst the water.
