Flash floods swept through a popular elephant sanctuary in northern Thailand on Thursday, forcing the evacuation of about 100 elephants and trapping dozens of tourists, amid urgent pleas for help. Dramatic video and images from the Elephant Nature Park near the city of Chiang Mai showed dozens of elephants wading through belly-deep water to find safety on higher ground.

Authorities and conservationists are rushing to rescue elephants, pigs and buffaloes from flash flooding in Thailand's northern Chiang Mai province, a senior official said on Friday.

Flooding in northern Thailand has forced many residents of the city of Chiang Mai and its outskirts to seek safety on higher ground, with members of the animal world under similar threat.

Chiang Mai, also known as the Rose of the North, is considered one of Thailand’s prime showpieces with its historic old town and many sights. It already experienced severe flooding in September.

Chiang Mai, Thailand’s northern city popular with tourists, has been inundated by widespread flooding as its main river overflowed its banks following heavy seasonal rainfall.