Phetchabun, Thailand — 4 September 2025
Three boys stranded in a tree after being swept away by floodwaters were rescued today in Lom Sak district, amid the worst flooding the area has experienced in 14 years. The boys, visibly shaken, have been reunited with their families.
According to initial inquiries, the group originally consisted of four boys who left their homes to observe the flooding in Lom Sak municipality. On their way back to Ban Naluang, they attempted to take a shortcut through a rice field behind Sirin Christian School. Unaware of a concealed canal, they were carried several hundred meters by strong currents before managing to cling to a tree.
One boy eventually left the tree to seek help from nearby villagers, who alerted authorities. A rescue boat was dispatched, and the remaining three boys were brought to safety.
Lom Sak district is facing widespread flooding after the Pasak River overflowed into the municipality on 3 September, affecting more than 17,000 residents. Officials have advised households in low-lying areas to relocate belongings to higher ground and prepare for possible further inundation.
According to Governor Saran Yu Meethongkham, water levels are expected to recede within one to two days if there is no additional rainfall. However, many areas remain under threat, particularly in Tal Diao, Nong Khwai, and Pak Duk sub-districts, where several homes are still submerged.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reports that tropical storm Nongfa has triggered flash floods, river overflows, mudslides, and widespread runoff across five districts, 23 sub-districts, 112 villages, one municipality, and one community in Phetchabun province.
At Sri Chan Weir in Tha I Bun sub-district, water levels have dropped to less than 30 centimeters above the crest, and nearby areas such as Tha I Bun and Sak Long are gradually returning to normal but remain under yellow alert.
Meanwhile, residents in Pak Duk, Lan Ba, and Huai Rai downstream have been urged to move vulnerable family members, including children, the elderly, and the sick, along with their belongings, to safer areas as a precaution.