In a dramatic twist of fate, a man was saved by the unlikely combination of roadside plants and the goodwill of locals as his small electric car teetered on the brink of being washed into a waterway. The surge of run-off hit the center of the eastern province of Trat hard on Sunday, turning a routine drive into a hair-raising ordeal.
Meet Dentist Amnuay Roek-amnuaychoke, our unsuspecting hero. At around 1:30 PM, Amnuay had just crossed a bridge over a waterway on Soi Moo Ban Krung Thai road in Ban Nong Bua, located in tambon Wang Krajae, Muang district. The water level, which had been a manageable 30 centimeters earlier, had surged to an intimidating 100 centimeters.
As the floodwater rapidly rose, local residents and soldiers distributing essentials to flood victims sprang into action. They initially secured the car using a small rope. Within ten minutes, a stronger rope was brought in to tie the car to a nearby pole. With a collective effort, some strong men pulled both the car and the stranded dentist to higher ground on Sukhumvit Road.
Dr. Amnuay recounted his harrowing experience, explaining how he had safely navigated through the floodwaters in the morning, only to find himself caught off guard by the significantly deeper and swifter currents that afternoon. The dentist extended his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who came to his rescue, acknowledging that without their timely intervention, the situation could have ended in tragedy.
Meanwhile, as Amnuay’s car was being saved, residents of dozens of houses in tambon Wang Krajae were in the midst of a frantic evacuation. Floodwaters had invaded their homes, forcing them to relocate their belongings. Many vehicles were left submerged in garages, while schools in Muang district found themselves 20 to 60 centimeters underwater.
This flooding calamity was triggered by urgent discharges from the Si Siad reservoir in Muang district. Irrigation authorities explained that these quick discharges were essential to prevent the reservoir from bursting, as the water level had dangerously exceeded the safe level due to torrential rains over the previous two days.
To add to the chaos, the relentless run-off also inundated sections of Sukhumvit Road between the Muang and Khao Saming districts of Trat. The turbulent waters turned roads into rivers, leaving a trail of distress and disruption in their wake.
While this particular Sunday may have started off like any other, it quickly escalated into a day of extraordinary acts of bravery and community spirit. From the daring rescue of a trapped dentist to the heartwarming image of neighbors helping each other in a time of crisis, it was a day that highlighted the best of human nature amidst the relentless forces of nature.
So, in the end, it was not just the water that surged through Trat that day, but also an outpouring of compassion and heroism that turned a potential disaster into a story of hope and resilience.
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