Chonburi:An 80-year-old woman tragically drowned after falling into a three-meter-deep hole eroded by receding floodwaters in Rai Yai Chi Village, Wat Luang Subdistrict, Phanat Nikhom District.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident was reported last night when police from Phanat Nikhom Police Station investigated the drowning death of the elderly woman. The area had been severely impacted by recent floods, with water levels still reaching knee-high.
The woman, identified as Mrs. Pranee, went missing from her home, prompting her son to alert rescue workers. After more than three hours of searching, volunteers discovered her body submerged in a large hole on the road in front of her house. They used a water pipe and a hook to locate her after detecting something resembling clothing underwater.
Mr. Somphot, her 54-year-old son, expressed his grief, explaining that he was at work during the incident, leaving his mother to care for the house and grandchildren. Upon returning home and finding her missing, he sought help to search the area. It is believed that Mrs. Pranee ventured out to inspect and clean up after noticing the receding water. Due to high water levels, she likely could not see the road surface and fell into a hole created by the floodwaters, leading to her drowning.
Police have sent Mrs. Pranee's body for an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death before releasing it to her family for religious ceremonies.