Summer storms hit central, northern regions
More than 6,900 houses, mostly in the central and northern regions of Thailand, have been damaged by summer storms since the beginning of April, according to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
Chayapol Thitisak, the director-general, said the department had received reports that 6,940 houses in 1,010 villages in 307 tambon of 115 districts had been damaged by storms since April 5. Twenty-nine provinces have been affected.
He said nine villagers were reported injured during the period as a result of the storms.
Chayapol said his department had coordinated with Army bases and government agencies concerned to provide help to the affected villagers.
The summer storms, which quickly develop into tropical storm-cells, are prevalent at this time of the year, usually when cooler air from China starts to interact with the rising southwestern monsoon. Storm cells are the smallest unit of a storm-producing system. They can be quite violent, sudden and bring strong winds, torrential rain and even hail.
On Saturday, about 100 houses in three tambon in Khon Buri district in Nakhon Ratchasima province were partly damaged after being hit by a summer storm on Saturday afternoon, an official said on Sunday.
Somchart Dejdon, the major of Tambon Khon Buri Tai Municipality, said about 40 houses in tambon Khon Buri Tai were hit by the storm, but the damage was not serious.
Two houses in tambon Orapim and 40 houses in tambon Chorakhehinin were also damaged by the storm. The damage was mostly to the roofs.
Khon Buri district chief Wichit Kijwirat instructed local leaders to examine the damage and report to him so that a relief operation could be launched soon.