Fierce winds, rain, hail cause damage in 2 provinces

Fierce winds, rain, hail cause damage in 2 provinces

A storm battered market in the district town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima, on Friday morning, after it was struck by wind and torrential rain on Thursday evening. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
A storm battered market in the district town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima, on Friday morning, after it was struck by wind and torrential rain on Thursday evening. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)

Shops and houses were damaged and vehicles hit by falling trees when strong winds and heavy rain pummeled Phimai municipality of Nakhon Ratchasima province on Thursday evening.

Residents and local officials could be seen hard at work on Friday morning cleaning up the streets and making repairs to damaged buildings. 

Wind and rain pounded the municipality's evening markets during peak time, hitting suddenly when residents were shopping for food and other goods around 6.30pm.

Phimai district chief Lertphan Sinbanlengsanoi and mayor Danai Tangjurdja said at least 100 houses and shops were damaged. Some big trees around famous Phimai Historical Park had also fallen onto parked vehicles and food shops in the area, they added.

The park, a major tourist attraction in the district, was not damaged, and there were no reports of people injured.

In Phaisali district of Nakhon Sawan, heavy rain and sometimes hailstones as big as marbles pounded houses for hours.

Phayao Boonkham, of Ban Mai Kradonepom in Phaisali, said she and her family fled their home as it was battered by hail and the roof blown off. 

The Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department on Friday issued a further strong winds warning, saying at last 4,000 houses in 27 provinces had been damaged since April 5.

A hail storm hits Phaisali district of Nakhon Sawan on Thursday. (Video by Chalit Phumruang)

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