Rampaging elephant forces tens of villagers run for their lives in Dong Nai

By Phuoc Tuan, Toan Dao April 11, 2016 | 05:09 pm PT

The wild elephant smashing the villager’s motobike. Photo: Thai Ha.

A wild elephant emerging out of the blue from the forest went on a rampage that forced tens of villagers in Phu Ly Commune, Vinh Cuu District in the southern province of Dong Nai to flee for their lives abandoning their vehicles on the dirt road.

Several villagers on Monday fled in panic upon the sight of a mature male wild elephant on the dirt road leading to their farms in the sub-section 59 of Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve.

Too stunned by the elephant storming out the bushes, villager Nguyen Van Khang managed to run away on foot leaving his motorbike behind. The askew-tusked elephant went on to trample the trees near the dirt road along with Khang’s abandoned motorbike. About 30 minutes later, it went back into the forest after the authorities’ efforts.

A forest ranger officer of Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve said, in dry season wild elephants tend to wander out to local villagers’ farms looking for their fruits as foods in the forest become scarce.

“For the last two weeks, this rare elephant is seen quite often near the villagers’ residential areas. Normally the animal is very meek but when excited he is apt to start a rampage and cause havoc to humans,” the officer said.