This is the heartbreaking moment an animal lover burst into tears seeing a dead elephant after a flash flood struck their camp.

Elephant Nature Park founder Saengduean Chailert and volunteers evacuated thousands of animals under their care when a monsoon deluge hit them in Chiang Mai province, Thailand on October 4.

However, some of the jumbos did not survive, including a 16-year-old female elephant named Fah Sai, whose body was later recovered when the flood receded on October 5.

Footage shows Saengduean crawling under a tree to hug the corpse of Fah Sai. She sobbed and kissed the cheek of Fah Sai amid debris.

They found the bodies of other missing elephants, including 40-year-old male Plai Thong.

Saengduean said: 'The flood arrived quickly, and we did not have time to prepare. Some were swept away by the flood.'

The water rose to 10ft (3 metres) causing four elephants to be swept away. Two of them died with one still missing. Another one was rescued by a good Samaritan and returned to the camp.

Officials said animal autopsies would be conducted to determine the cause of death and confirm the identities of both elephants.

Kritsayam Kongsatri, director of the Protected Areas Regional Office 16, flew a helicopter on an aerial survey over the submerged region.

He said most of the 126 elephants in the park have been rescued, while around six were left. Officers have been unable to evacuate them because they were either hostile or ill.

He said: 'The rescue plan for tomorrow is to use a large motorboat with mahouts to guide the elephants. However, if the water level drops below six feet, we may be able to bring large trucks to the area to carry them away.'

Heavy rains have been ravaging northern Thailand in recent weeks. The seasonal downpours have caused severe floods as rivers burst their banks and submerged towns and villages.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season, which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon, leading to widespread flash floods.