Rescue teams reach elderly woman after four days trapped in floodwater with 18 cats
An 80-year-old woman survived four days trapped inside her flooded home in Chachoengsao province before rescuers reached her on 3 October 2026. The woman, known locally as "Ya Khao," was found weak and exhausted along with 18 cats she had refused to leave behind.
Conditions inside the submerged house
Water levels had risen above 1.50 metres inside the single-storey home in Ban Pho district, leaving the elderly woman with nowhere to go. She suffered from pre-existing conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure, which compounded the physical toll of days without proper food, clean water, or medication.
When rescue teams finally accessed the property, they found her barely conscious. A pressure sore had developed on her right ankle, with visible bleeding — a common complication for immobile patients left in wet conditions for extended periods. She was immediately transported to Ban Pho Hospital for treatment. Her current condition has not been publicly disclosed.
A rescue amid a province-wide crisis
The operation formed part of a wider emergency response across Chachoengsao, where all 11 districts have been affected by sudden flooding since late September 2026. The disaster has claimed four lives and impacted 26,169 households, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.
The flooding stems from a combination of relentless heavy rain, overflow from the Bang Pakong River, and water discharging from reservoirs including the Khlong Siyat retention basin — which reached capacity and overflowed for the first time in 14 years. High tides have further prevented floodwater from draining into the sea.
Road access has been severely disrupted. Highway 304, connecting the eastern region to the northeast, remains inundated, while sections of Road 3121 are impassable to small vehicles. In Sanam Chaikhet district, some communities have been cut off for more than five days.
Support available for affected residents
Provincial authorities have established evacuation shelters, including a main centre at Rajabhat Bang Kla University. A private facility, the Season Care elderly centre in Chachoengsao, is offering free three-day stays for older adults and bedridden patients affected by the floods.
Residents seeking government assistance can register through the "Tang Rat" mobile application or submit requests at their local administrative office. Compensation is available under four levels of impact.
For those still in flood-prone areas, the Department of Health advises moving essential items and elderly family members to higher ground immediately, stocking dry food and boiled water, and keeping mobile phones charged for emergency alerts transmitted via cell broadcast.
